Office Settings & Configuration

How to Turn Off Show Formatting by Default in Microsoft Word

Partner Editor Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to prevent Microsoft Word from automatically displaying formatting changes when Track Changes is enabled or when opening documents from other sources.

How to Turn Off Show Formatting by Default in Microsoft Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Reviewing edited documents, turning on Track Changes, or opening files received from other users that contain formatting edits.
Observed behavior: Show Formatting automatically becomes enabled, displaying formatting revisions even if Track Formatting and Show Formatting are disabled in both local Word settings and the Normal.dotm template.

Before you start

Before adjusting tracking settings or accepting revisions, ensure that you no longer need the edit history for document formatting, as permanently accepting these changes will clear them from the revision history.

Solution 1Recommended

Permanently Remove Revisions by Accepting All Changes

Because hiding markup is only temporary, the most effective way to stop formatting revisions from reappearing is to permanently accept them into the document.

View settings and tracked changes are saved within individual documents. Simply hiding the formatting markup does not remove the revisions, meaning they can reappear when the document is reopened or shared.

Open the Review tab

Launch Microsoft Word, open the document containing the unwanted formatting marks, and navigate to the "Review" tab on the main ribbon.

Access the Accept dropdown

In the "Changes" group, locate and click the arrow under the "Accept" button to open the dropdown menu.

Accept all changes and stop tracking

Click "Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking". This permanently integrates all formatting and text revisions and ensures formatting markup will no longer display.

Permanently Remove Revisions by Accepting All Changes

Permanent Solution: This method completely clears the document of pending formatting revisions, ensuring they will not be visible to anyone else who opens the file.

Solution 2

Clear the Track Formatting Setting for New Edits

You can modify your Track Changes options to prevent Word from tracking future formatting changes during document editing.

Easily Manage Track Changes and Formatting in WPS Writer

WPS Writer offers a highly intuitive Track Changes feature that gives you straightforward control over what revisions are displayed. You can seamlessly review, accept, or hide formatting changes without dealing with complicated template overrides.

1. Open your document: Launch WPS Office and open your .docx file using WPS Writer.
2. Navigate to the Review tab: Click on the "Review" tab located on the top ribbon to access all document tracking tools.
3. Manage formatting edits: Use the "Track Changes" button to toggle tracking, or use the "Accept" dropdown to cleanly integrate formatting revisions and remove unwanted markups permanently.

Granular and intuitive control over Track Changes and formatting markupsSeamlessly open, edit, and save Microsoft Word (.docx) documents with perfect compatibilityFree, lightweight, and fast alternative to Microsoft OfficeFamiliar interface makes managing document revisions effortless

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Show Formatting keep turning back on even after I disable it?

Microsoft Word saves view settings and existing tracked changes directly within the document file. If you open a document that already contains tracked formatting changes from another user, Word will automatically display those revisions, overriding your local application or template settings.

Does modifying the Normal.dotm template fix this issue for all files?

No. Changing the settings in the Normal.dotm template only applies to entirely new documents that you create from scratch on your computer. It cannot alter or override the tracking settings saved in existing documents you receive from other sources.

Can I temporarily hide formatting changes without accepting them?

Yes. You can go to the Review tab, click 'Show Markup', and uncheck 'Formatting'. However, this is only a temporary view adjustment. The formatting revisions remain in the document and may reappear the next time the file is opened.

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