How to View Two Word Documents Side by Side on Mac
Question details
The user wants to compare two Word documents side by side on a Mac, but Word for Mac does not include the View Side by Side, Vertical, or Synchronous Scrolling commands found in Word for Windows.
- Product
- Microsoft Word for Mac
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- The user needs to view and compare two open Word documents at the same time on a Mac.
- Observed behavior
- Word for Mac lacks the dedicated View Side by Side and Synchronous Scrolling commands, so the user cannot enable the same side-by-side layout available in Word for Windows.
Open both Word documents first, and check your Word version with Help > Check for Updates. Close unrelated windows so the two document windows are easier to resize and compare.
Arrange Two Word Document Windows Side by Side on Mac
Use this when you need to compare two open Word documents and the Windows-only View Side by Side command is unavailable.
Word for Mac does not include the Windows View Side by Side, Vertical, or Synchronous Scrolling commands. The built-in Arrange All command places document windows in a stacked layout, so manual resizing is required to create a true side-by-side view.
Open the two Word documents you want to compare so each appears in its own document window.
Click Window > Arrange All in the Word menu bar. If Arrange All is unavailable or stacks the windows vertically, continue with manual resizing.
Drag each document window by its title bar to the left or right side of the screen, then drag the edges or corners to resize them until both documents are visible side by side.
Click inside each window and scroll normally. Word for Mac does not provide Synchronous Scrolling, so you will need to scroll each document manually.
Check Page Movement Settings and Update Word for Mac
Use this if you are troubleshooting missing view commands or using an older Word for Mac version such as 15.33.
View Word Documents Side by Side with WPS Office on Mac
Word for Mac does not include the dedicated View Side by Side command. WPS Office is a free, lightweight alternative that opens .doc and .docx files, preserves familiar formatting, and gives you a familiar interface for arranging documents on macOS.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Go to the official WPS Office download page and click Download WPS Office Free for macOS.
- 2. Install and open WPS Office: Open the downloaded installer, drag WPS Office to the Applications folder, and launch WPS Office.
- 3. Open the Word documents: Click Open in WPS Office and select the .doc or .docx files you want to compare.
- 4. Arrange the document windows: Position the two WPS Writer windows side by side using the window controls or manual dragging.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Word for Mac have View Side by Side?
No. Word for Mac does not include the View Side by Side, Vertical, or Synchronous Scrolling commands found in Word for Windows. Use Window > Arrange All and resize the windows manually.
Why is View Side by Side missing in Word for Mac?
View Side by Side is a Windows-only command in Microsoft Word. On Mac, the closest built-in option is Window > Arrange All, and you must manually place document windows next to each other.
Can I synchronize scrolling between two Word documents on Mac?
No, Synchronous Scrolling is not available in Word for Mac. You need to click in each window and scroll each document independently.
Is Side to Side the same as side-by-side document viewing?
No. Side to Side is a page movement option that changes how pages scroll within a document. It does not arrange two document windows side by side.
Can WPS Office open and arrange Word documents side by side on Mac?
Yes. WPS Office opens Microsoft Word .doc and .docx files and provides window controls that allow you to position two document windows for side-by-side comparison on macOS.
