How to Prevent Word Track Changes and Comments from Appearing in PDFs
Question details
The user wants to export a Microsoft Word document to a PDF using Acrobat PDFMaker without including the document's track changes and comments in the final output.
- Product
- Microsoft Word / Acrobat PDFMaker
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Converting a collaborative Word document containing comments and tracked revisions into a clean PDF format for sharing or final presentation.
- Observed behavior
- By default, the PDFMaker add-in may export the document with track changes and markup visible on the resulting PDF pages.
Ensure that your document is saved and that you have the Acrobat PDFMaker add-in successfully installed in your Microsoft Word application.
Modify Export Settings in the Acrobat Add-in Tab
Adjust the Acrobat PDFMaker settings directly within the Word ribbon to prevent markup and revisions from being exported.
The Acrobat PDFMaker add-in for Microsoft Word contains specific export preferences. By disabling the option to convert comments and tracked changes, you can ensure your final PDF is completely clean.
Open your document in Microsoft Word and look for the Acrobat tab on the top ribbon. If you do not see it, go to File > Options > Customize Ribbon, check the box next to Acrobat in the right-hand pane, and click OK.
Click on the Acrobat tab in the ribbon, then click on the Preferences button to open the PDF conversion settings.
In the Settings or Security tab of the Acrobat Preferences dialog, locate and uncheck the option that says 'Convert Word Comments' or 'Convert Tracked Changes'. Click OK to save your changes.
Click the Create PDF button within the Acrobat tab to export your document. The resulting PDF will now display without any track changes or comments.
Export Clean PDFs Instantly with WPS Office
WPS Office provides a native, built-in PDF converter that completely eliminates the need for third-party add-ins like Acrobat PDFMaker. You can easily hide markup and export perfectly clean PDFs in seconds.
- 1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open the Word document containing the track changes and comments.
- 2. Hide or Accept Markup: Navigate to the Review tab. To hide revisions, change the markup view to 'Final'. Alternatively, click 'Accept All Changes' to permanently apply them.
- 3. Export to PDF: Click the Menu button in the top-left corner, navigate to 'Export to PDF', and click it to open the conversion dialog.
- 4. Save the Clean PDF: Configure your preferred save location and click 'Export'. The generated PDF will be perfectly clean and free of visible track changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Acrobat tab missing in Microsoft Word?
The Acrobat add-in might be disabled or hidden in your Word settings. You can re-enable it by navigating to File > Options > Customize Ribbon, and checking the Acrobat option in the Main Tabs list on the right.
Can I hide track changes by just selecting 'No Markup' in Word?
Depending on your Word version and the PDF converter you use, selecting 'No Markup' or 'Final' in the Review tab will often allow you to print or save as a PDF without the tracked changes showing. However, third-party add-ins like PDFMaker may still require you to adjust their specific preference settings.
How do I permanently remove track changes before converting?
To completely remove track changes, go to the Review tab, click the drop-down arrow under 'Accept', and choose 'Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking'. You can also click 'Delete' in the Comments section to remove all comments.
