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How to compare two versions of a document

By the Docmend team · Updated · 6 min read

Short answer

In Word, use Review → Compare. In Google Docs, use Tools → Compare documents, which can also compare a Doc with a Word file stored in Drive. For two PDFs or two pieces of text, use a compare tool that highlights the added and removed words, such as the Compare PDF and Text compare tools on the site of the Docmend Chrome extension.

Whether it’s v1 and v2 of a contract, a proposal your client marked up offline, or an essay with a new draft, the goal is the same: see exactly what changed without reading both versions side by side. The right method depends on what kind of files you have. Docmend is a Chrome extension for getting documents reviewed and signed; its compare tools cover the PDF and plain-text cases, and Word and Google Docs have compare features built in.

Before you compare: which file is the “original”?

Every method asks for an original and a revised (or new) version. Pick the older version as the original and the newer one as the revised version, so additions show as additions and deletions as deletions. If you swap them, the result reads backwards. Naming files with a version number and date (for example proposal-v1-2026-10-02 and proposal-v2-2026-10-09) makes this hard to get wrong.

Compare two Word documents

Compare Documents, step by step

Microsoft’s steps for comparing two versions:

  1. Open one of the two versions.
  2. On the Review tab, select Compare → Compare Documents.
  3. In the Original document list, select the original.
  4. In the Revised document list, browse to the other version and select OK.

Word builds a new copy based on the original and shows the differences with revision marks. The original copy remains untouched.

Legal blackline (Word for Windows)

In desktop Word for Windows, the legal blackline option gives you more control: on the Review tab, in the Compare group, select Compare, then Compare two versions of a document (legal blackline). Choose the original and revised documents, then choose what Word should compare, such as comments, formatting and text changes. Under Show changes, pick character level or word level.

By default the result opens in a third, new document and the two source documents aren’t changed. If you choose to show the changes in the original or revised document instead, that document is modified, so leave the default unless you mean it.

Compare vs Combine

Combine (Review → Compare → Combine) is for merging edits from several reviewers’ copies into one document, not for seeing the difference between two versions. Microsoft’s legal blackline page warns not to use the blackline option for comparing changes from a number of reviewers; use Combine for that instead.

Either way, you end up with revision marks you can accept or reject one by one, just like tracked changes.

Compare two Google Docs

Tools → Compare documents

From Google Docs Editors Help:

  1. On your computer, open the primary document in Google Docs.
  2. At the top, click Tools → Compare documents.
  3. Optionally, set Attribute differences to (the name shown on the suggested edits; it defaults to your name) and tick Include comments to pull in comments from the selected document.
  4. Select the document to compare against.
  5. Click Compare, then Open.

Google creates a third Google Doc that shows the differences as suggested edits.

Compare a Google Doc with a Word file

Google Docs can now compare a Doc directly with a Microsoft Word (.docx) file, without converting the Word file first. Open the Doc, choose Tools → Compare documents, click From Drive, and select the .docx. The Word file must be stored in Google Drive. This is handy when a client edits your proposal in Word and sends it back: drop their file in Drive and compare it with your Doc.

What isn’t compared

Google notes that changes to the document column layout and table column width won’t be compared. Check those by eye if they matter.

Because the result arrives as suggestions, you review it the same way as any suggested edit: accept or reject each one, or all at once. Our guide on how to track changes in Google Docs covers accepting and rejecting suggestions.

If the menu item is unavailable, check your access: Google’s 2019 announcement says document owners and people with edit access can use the feature.

Only one Google Doc? Use version history

If there’s only one Doc that changed over time, you don’t need two files. Click Last edit at the top right to browse earlier versions and see who changed what; Google’s version history help explains the steps, and you need edit permission to browse versions.

Compare two PDFs

When both versions are PDFs (a signed-off quote and a new one, say), use Docmend’s Compare PDF tool. In its own words: “Open two versions of a contract, proposal or report and see every word that was added or removed, highlighted.”

  1. Open the original PDF on the left and the new version on the right.
  2. Click Compare.
  3. Read the changes, or download the comparison.

It compares the words. Changes to fonts, colours or layout are not shown. If you still have the Word or Google Docs files the PDFs came from, comparing those with the methods above also picks up formatting changes (Word’s legal blackline lets you include formatting).

Compare two pieces of text

Sometimes the versions aren’t files at all: two drafts of a clause pasted into an email, or a web page before and after an edit. Docmend’s Text compare tool lets you “paste two versions of any text and see what was added and removed, word by word.” Paste the original on the left and the new text on the right, click Compare, and added words show in green, removed words in red.

After the comparison: agree the final version

Comparing tells you what changed; it doesn’t settle whether everyone agrees. Once you’ve accepted or rejected the changes, send the clean version back for a last look and a clear yes. Our guides on getting client feedback on a document and client sign-off forms cover that step. If you share a version for comments, Docmend review links are read-only; see whether a reviewer can edit your file from a comment link.

Which method fits your files?

Your filesMethodShows formatting changes?Output
Two Word filesWord: Review → CompareYes, if selected (legal blackline, Windows)New document with revision marks
Two Google DocsGoogle Docs: Tools → Compare documentsNot column layout or table column widthThird Doc with suggested edits
A Google Doc and a Word fileGoogle Docs: Compare documents → From DriveNot column layout or table column widthThird Doc with suggested edits
One Google Doc over timeVersion historyShows each versionEarlier versions to view or restore
Two PDFsDocmend Compare PDFNo, words onlyHighlighted changes, viewable or downloadable
Two pieces of textDocmend Text compareNo, words onlyAdded words green, removed red

Common questions

Can I compare a Google Doc with a Word file?

Yes. Google Docs Help says you can compare a Google Doc with a Microsoft Word (.docx) file without converting it first: open the Doc, choose Tools, then Compare documents, click From Drive and pick the .docx, which must be stored in Google Drive.

Does comparing change my original files?

Not by default. Word puts the comparison in a new document and leaves the original untouched, unless you choose to show the changes in the original or revised document. Google Docs creates a third Doc that shows the differences as suggested edits.

Can I compare two PDFs and see formatting changes?

Docmend’s Compare PDF compares the words, so changes to fonts, colours or layout are not shown. If you have the source Word files, Word’s legal blackline option can include formatting in the comparison.

Why is Compare documents unavailable in Google Docs?

You may need edit access. Google’s 2019 announcement of the feature says document owners and people with edit access can use it.

Sources

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