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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsWord has three different ways to look back at a document, and they answer different questions:
- Version History shows saved copies of a file stored in OneDrive or SharePoint.
- Track Changes shows individual edits that were recorded while tracking was enabled.
- AutoRecover helps recover work after a crash or accidental closure.
If you want to open yesterday’s saved copy, use Version History. If you want to see who inserted, deleted, or reformatted text inside the document, use Track Changes. A document saved only on your computer does not automatically have a complete history in Word.
See Version History in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows
Version History works when the document is saved in OneDrive or SharePoint in Microsoft 365. It does not work for an ordinary .docx file saved only in a local folder such as C:\Users\YourName\Documents.
- Open the document in Word.
- Select the file name in the title bar.
- Select Version History.
- Select a version from the history list to open it in a separate window.
- Choose Restore if you want that version to replace the current document.
Some Microsoft 365 desktop builds also provide the command at File > Info > Version History. If you only want to inspect an older copy, use Open version when that button is available instead of restoring it.
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Do not restore before checking the version
Opening a historical version lets you check its contents without changing the current file. Restoring is the option that makes the selected version current, so use it only after confirming that the version contains what you need. In SharePoint, restoration creates a new latest version; it does not simply erase the version that was current before the restore.
See document history in Word for the web
- Open the document in Word for the web.
- Select File > Version History.
- Select an earlier version to open it.
- Select Restore if you want to make it the current version.
The file must be stored in OneDrive or SharePoint. A document uploaded from your computer and opened as an unrelated local copy will not have the same cloud history.
See Version History in Word for Mac
In current Microsoft 365 versions of Word for Mac:
- Open the document.
- Select the document name in the application title bar.
- Select Browse Version History.
- Select a version to open it.
Older Mac versions may use File > Browse Version History. To make an older version current, open it and select Restore.
View a Word file’s history without opening Word
From OneDrive on the web
- Sign in to OneDrive.
- Locate the Word file.
- Right-click the file and select Version history.
- In the Version History pane, select the … next to a version.
- Select Restore when you are ready.
This works with personal Microsoft accounts and work or school accounts, although an organization’s administrator can disable or restrict versioning.
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From Windows File Explorer
If the OneDrive sync app is installed, right-click a synchronized Word file in File Explorer and select Version history. The file must be part of the OneDrive location connected to the account containing the history. A similarly named file in a normal local folder is a different file.
From a SharePoint document library
- Open the SharePoint site and its document library.
- Locate the document.
- Select the … next to the file.
- Select Version history. If it is not listed, choose More > Version history.
- Hover over the date of the version you need.
- Select the down arrow that appears.
- Select Restore, then select OK.
SharePoint keeps the former current version in the history after a restore and adds the restored copy as the newest version.
What Word Version History actually records
Version History is a list of saved file versions. Depending on the Microsoft 365 service and account, it can show:
- Earlier saved copies of the document
- The date and time of a version
- The person who changed it, where that information is available
- An older version opened without replacing the current file
- A restored version
- Differences between versions in supported Office experiences
It is not a keystroke recorder. It does not necessarily contain every click, edit, or press of Save. Microsoft 365 AutoSave can save changes every few seconds, but additional Version History entries are generally created periodically—approximately every 10 minutes after the first change during an editing session.
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For personal Microsoft accounts, Microsoft currently says the Office Version History experience can retrieve the last 25 versions. Work and school accounts depend on the retention and version-count settings configured for the OneDrive or SharePoint location. Older versions can expire or be trimmed.
Why “Version History” is missing
| Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|
| The document is local | Check whether the file is in OneDrive or SharePoint rather than C:\, a local Documents folder, a file server, or another cloud provider. |
| The document has not been saved | Save it as a modern .docx file in a supported OneDrive or SharePoint location. |
| You opened the wrong copy | Compare the file location and account shown in Word. A local copy synchronized from somewhere else may not be the cloud file you intended to open. |
| You are signed in to the wrong account | Check whether Word is using your personal Microsoft account or your work or school account. |
| Versioning is disabled | A SharePoint library administrator can disable or limit versioning. Contact the site owner if the command is unavailable in the library. |
| The file uses an older format | Save an older .doc file as .docx when possible. AutoSave is not available for older Office formats. |
Moving a local file to OneDrive can provide history for future saves, but it cannot recreate revisions that happened before the file was placed there.
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Use Track Changes to see edits inside the document
Track Changes is the right tool when you need to see insertions, deletions, and formatting changes as markup. It only records changes made while tracking was enabled; turning it on now will not reveal edits that were already made.
Show existing tracked changes
- Open the document.
- Go to Review > Markup view > All Markup.
- For a list of revisions, select Review > Reviewing Pane.
- Choose Reviewing Pane Vertical or Reviewing Pane Horizontal.
To show revisions in the document rather than in balloons, use Review > Markup Options > Balloons > Show All Revisions Inline.
Turn on tracking for future edits
- Go to Review > Track Changes.
- Select For Everyone to track everyone’s edits, or Just Mine to track only your own.
In Word for the web, use the mode selector near the Share button. Editing does not show changes as tracked edits, Reviewing displays and records tracked changes, and Viewing prevents editing.
No Markup only hides tracked changes; it does not remove them. To permanently resolve markup, use Accept or Reject on the Review tab.
Compare two separate Word files
If you have two independently saved files but neither has usable Version History, Word can compare them:
- Open Word.
- Go to Review > Compare. The command may be labeled Compare Documents in some versions.
- Select the Original document.
- Select the Revised document.
- Select OK.
Word creates a comparison containing revision marks. The original and revised source files remain unchanged unless you deliberately choose an option that places the comparison into one of them.
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AutoRecover is a recovery mechanism, not a dependable long-term document archive. For a previously saved file:
- Open the file in Word.
- Select File > Info.
- Under Manage Documents, select the file labeled (when I closed without saving).
- Select Restore to overwrite the previously saved version, or choose Compare to inspect the recovered copy first.
For a document that was never saved, go to File > Info > Manage Document > Recover Unsaved Documents. Select the recovered file, choose Open, and then use Save As to preserve it.
Version History, Track Changes, and AutoRecover compared
| Feature | Best for | Requires | What it does not provide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Version History | Opening or restoring earlier saved copies | OneDrive or SharePoint storage with versioning available | Every keystroke or every save |
| Track Changes | Reviewing editorial changes | Tracking enabled when edits were made | Earlier untracked edits |
| AutoRecover | Recovering work after a crash or unexpected closure | Recovery data still available | A reliable chronological archive |
Practical answer: which method should you use?
- Need an earlier saved copy from OneDrive or SharePoint? Use Version History.
- Need to identify inserted or deleted wording in the current file? Use Track Changes or Reviewing Pane.
- Word or Windows closed unexpectedly? Check File > Info > Manage Documents and recover the AutoRecover file.
- Have two unrelated copies? Use Review > Compare.
FAQ
Does Word automatically keep a full history of every document?
No. A full Version History requires the file to be stored in a supported OneDrive or SharePoint location, and the available versions are subject to account, library, and retention limits.
Can I see who edited a Word document?
Version History can show who changed a saved version when that information is available. Track Changes can identify authors of recorded revisions, but only for edits made while tracking was enabled.
Can I recover an older version of a Word file saved only on my computer?
Not through Microsoft 365 Version History. Check AutoRecover, Windows File History, backups, or another backup system. If no backup exists, Word may not have an earlier copy.
Does turning on Track Changes reveal previous edits?
No. It records edits made after tracking is enabled. It cannot reconstruct earlier changes that were not tracked.
Does restoring a version delete the current version?
For SharePoint, no. The restored copy becomes the latest version and the former current version remains in the history. Retention settings can still affect how long versions remain available.
Why can’t I find Version History in Word?
The file may be local, unsaved, in an older format, opened under the wrong Microsoft account, or stored in a SharePoint library where versioning is disabled or restricted.
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To see saved document history, open the file from OneDrive or SharePoint and choose Version History. Use Track Changes for editorial markup, Compare for two separate files, and AutoRecover for work lost after a crash. Word cannot produce a complete past record for a local file unless another backup or revision system created one.
Microsoft’s documentation: View previous versions of Office files, Track changes in Word, and Recover an earlier version of a Word file.
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