How to Print Tracked Changes and Comments in Microsoft Word Documents

In Microsoft Word, you can track changes made to a document. This feature is useful when collaborating online on a document to identify who, when, and where changes were made. You can share the document with tracked changes offline with all the details about changes and comments.

For example, if you have a meeting where the Word document is shared in paper form or a non-editable PDF copy is shared. The offline version can be shared with the tracked changes and comments still present. Here’s how to do so:

How to Print a Word Document Showing Tracked Changes and Comments

Tracked changes in Microsoft Word typically records the name of the user who makes the changes along with the changes. Comments in a Word document can provide further details of a change to be made or made. Luckily, you can take a print of all those details in the document. Here’s how you can print the Word document with the contents, tracked changes, and comments showing:

Step 1: Click the Start button on the taskbar to open the Start menu and type word to search for the app.

Step 2: From the results, click on the Microsoft Word app or document to open it.

Step 3: On the Word Ribbon, select the Review tab.

Step 4: Click the Markup drop-down in the Tracking group.

Step 5: Select All Markup.

Step 6: Click the Show Comments button in the Comments group.

Step 7: On the Word Ribbon, select the File tab.

Step 8: Select Print.

Step 9: Select your printer from the Printer section.

Step 10: Click the first drop-down beneath the Print Settings section.

Step 11: Select Print Markup beneath the Document Info group of the drop-down. You can see a preview of the print pages showing what the markup version would look like when printed.

Step 12: Select Print.

Print a Word Document Without Tracked Changes and Comments

If you do not want the tracked changes or comments within the Word document to show up when you print, here’s what you need to do:

Step 1: Click the Start button on the taskbar to open the Start menu and type word to search for the app.

Step 2: From the results, click on the Microsoft Word app or document to open it.

Step 3: On the Word Ribbon, select the File tab.

Step 4: Select Print.

Step 5: Select your printer from the Printer section.

Step 6: Click the first drop-down beneath the Print Settings section.

Step 7: Deselect Print Markup beneath the Document Info group of the drop-down. You will see a preview of the print pages which shows what the version without markup would look like when printed.

Step 8: Select Print.

Print Only the Comments and Tracked Changes in a Word Document

If you only want to see the list of comments and changes made within the Word document, you can edit Print Settings to get this. Here’s how to do so:

Step 1: Click the Start button on the taskbar to open the Start menu and type word to search for the app.

Step 2: From the results, click on the Microsoft Word app or document to open it.

Step 3: On the Word Ribbon, select the File tab.

Step 4: Select Print.

Step 5: Select your printer from the Printer section.

Step 6: Click the first drop-down beneath the Print Settings section.

Step 7: Scroll through the print settings and select List of Markup.

Step 8: Select Print.

Print Full Details of a Word Document

At times, it’s important to keep a track of changes made to a document and make annotations on a physical print out. The methods mentioned above will help you take a print of Word document with changes and comments for that.

If after clicking the Print button on Word, your printer fails to print out the document, ensure you have your printer turned on. If your printer is turned on, but the document fails to print, check if your Windows toolbar is showing the documents are waiting error.