How to track changes and add comments to a .docx without Word

Q: Can I use Track Changes without Word?

Yes. PaperDocs has its own Track Changes in the Review tab: it marks insertions and deletions with the author and the time, and lets you accept or reject them one by one or all at once.

Q: Is the tracking of formatting changes supported?

No. Track Changes follows typed, pasted and deleted text only. Paragraph breaks and formatting changes are not tracked.

By THEO GRIG MEDIA PRO SRL • Last updated: 6 November 2026

Open the .docx in PaperDocs, select text and add a comment, turn on Track Changes in the Review tab, then accept or reject each edit and download the file as .docx. It is free, needs no account and the file is not uploaded.

Open PaperDocsFree, no account, files stay on your device

Review a .docx in 6 steps

Open PaperDocs in your browser and choose Import a file (or drag the .docx onto the page). Comments and tracked changes already in the file are read in.
In the Tools menu choose Author Name and type the name that should appear on your comments and edits. The name is remembered in this browser.
Select a few words, open the Review tab and choose New Comment (or press Ctrl+Alt+M, Cmd+Alt+M on a Mac). Write the comment and choose Add comment.
Choose Track Changes in the Review tab. From now on typed text is shown as an insertion and deleted text stays visible as a deletion.
Open the Reviewing Pane. The Comments tab lists the comments, where you can reply, resolve or delete them. The Changes tab lists every insertion and deletion with Accept and Reject buttons, plus Accept all and Reject all.
Download the document as .docx. The comments and the tracked changes are written into the file, so they show up when it is opened in another word processor.

What is and is not tracked

Track Changes records typed, pasted and deleted text, each with the author name and the time. Paragraph breaks and formatting changes are not tracked, so check those by eye before you send the file back.

Next change and Previous change (and Next comment and Previous comment) in the Review tab jump from one item to the next. Tracked edits can also be switched off again at any time with the same Track Changes button.

Comments and tracked changes at a glance

Action	Where
Add a comment	Review tab, New Comment (`Ctrl+Alt+M`)
Reply, resolve or delete a comment	Reviewing Pane, Comments tab
Turn Track Changes on or off	Review tab, Track Changes
Accept or reject one change	Reviewing Pane, Changes tab
Accept or reject all changes	Review tab, Accept All and Reject All
Set the author name	Tools menu, Author Name

Supported formats

Open: .docx, .pdf, .txt, .md, .html
Download: .docx (with comments and tracked changes), .html, .txt
Print or save as PDF

Frequently asked questions

Can I use Track Changes without Word?

Yes. PaperDocs has its own Track Changes in the Review tab: it marks insertions and deletions with the author and the time, and lets you accept or reject them one by one or all at once.

Will my comments and tracked changes stay in the .docx?

Yes. When you download the document as .docx, the comments and the tracked insertions and deletions are written into the file. Replies to a comment are kept in PaperDocs but are not written into the .docx, so merge important replies into the comment text first.

Does PaperDocs read comments from a file I received?

Yes. When you import a .docx, its comments and its tracked insertions and deletions are shown, and you can accept or reject them.

Is the tracking of formatting changes supported?

No. Track Changes follows typed, pasted and deleted text only. Paragraph breaks and formatting changes are not tracked.

Is my file uploaded when I review it?

No. PaperDocs works on your device. The document is saved in your browser and is not sent to a server.