How to Compare Two Word Documents and Highlight Changes

Quick Answer: Compare Two Documents vs Track Changes

You have two ways to highlight changes between Word documents. If you already have an original and a revised file and never turned on revision tracking, use Compare: open a document in WPS Writer, go to Review → Compare → Compare, pick the Original and Revised files, adjust comparison settings if needed, and click OK. WPS generates a new compared document where revisions from the revised file appear highlighted in red so you can scroll through insertions and deletions.

If you are still editing and want every change recorded as you work, turn on Track Changes first: Review → Track Changes or press Ctrl+Shift+E. That records insertions, deletions, and formatting changes with customizable markup colors—ideal before sharing drafts, not after two finished versions already exist.

Key Facts

Before You Compare: Format, Backups, and Compatibility

Start with matching file formats—typically .docx. Save backups of both files before running Compare.

WPS pricing page states 100% Compatible with Microsoft File Formats for Office Tools. Complex files—macros, heavy track-changes history, or intricate layout—should be verified against your source files after compare.

WPS Office is a free all-in-one suite to edit Word, Excel, and PPT per WPS Academy. Compare steps below apply to desktop WPS Writer on Windows, macOS, or Linux.

How to Compare Two Word Documents in WPS Writer

Follow these steps to compare an original and revised document and see highlighted differences in a new file.

1. Open either document in WPS Writer—the file you open first becomes the base for the compare session.

2. Click the Review tab on the ribbon.

3. Select Compare, then choose Compare again from the dropdown.

4. In the Compare Documents dialog, set Original document to the unchanged version and Revised document to the edited version.

5. Optionally use Label changes with to name the revisions (helpful when multiple reviewers exist).

6. Click More to open Comparison settings and Show changes. Choose Character level or Word level depending on how granular you want the diff.

7. Click OK. WPS Writer generates a new compared document.

8. Scroll through the compared document. Revisions from the revised file appear highlighted in red. Deleted content may show with a red comment indicating the text was removed.

9. To apply edits, copy content from the compared view and paste into a new document—WPS does not allow direct editing of the Original or Revised panes after comparison.

How to Highlight Changes with Track Changes in WPS Writer

Use Track Changes when you want revisions captured during editing, not reconstructed afterward.

1. Open the document you plan to edit in WPS Writer.

2. Go to Review and click Track Changes, or press Ctrl+Shift+E.

3. Edit normally. WPS records insertions, deletions, and formatting changes.

4. To customize how markup appears, open Track Changes Options. You can set color only for insertions, choose show all revisions inline, or show revisions in balloons depending on review preference.

5. Share the marked-up file with reviewers; accept or reject changes from the Review tab when the draft is final.

How to Compare Documents in Microsoft Word (Desktop)

If your team standardizes on Microsoft Word, the desktop app documents a parallel Compare workflow.

1. Open one version of the document in Word desktop.

2. Go to Review on the ribbon.

3. Select Compare, then Compare Documents.

4. Choose the Original and Revised documents.

5. Word merges changes into a new copy where revision marks show any differences between the two files.

Word for the web is free with a Microsoft account (includes 5 GB OneDrive). Desktop Compare steps differ from the browser—verify Compare availability on your account tier before relying on Word online.

LibreOffice Writer as a Brief Alternative

LibreOffice Writer is compatible with Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) and free and open source per the official Getting Started guide. LibreOffice Compare menu steps are not covered here; verify complex Word files locally if you open compared output in Writer.

Compare and Highlight Methods at a Glance

FAQ

Why are changes highlighted in red after I compare documents in WPS Writer?

Compare produces a new compared document where revisions from the revised file are highlighted in red. Deleted content may appear with a red comment marking removal.

Can I edit the Original or Revised document directly after comparing in WPS?

No. You cannot directly edit the Original Document and the Revised Document panes after comparison. Copy content and paste it into a new document to apply edits.

How do I customize Track Changes colors in WPS Writer?

Open Track Changes Options from the Review tab to set color only for insertions, show all revisions inline, or show revisions in balloons.

Does Microsoft Word online compare two documents like desktop Word?

Word for the web is free with a Microsoft account, but desktop Compare steps differ from the browser experience. Verify Compare availability on your account tier before relying on Word online.

Sources and Last Reviewed

• WPS Academy — Compare two Word documents and highlight differences

• WPS Academy — Compare contents of two documents in WPS Writer

• WPS Help — Track Changes in Writer

• WPS Academy — Application of Track Changes

• WPS Academy — What is WPS Office

• WPS Office pricing

• Microsoft Support — Compare and merge two versions of a document

• Microsoft — Free Office on the web

• LibreOffice — Getting Started documentation

Last reviewed: 2026-06-30