How to Track Changes in Google Docs

Apr 19, 2021

The reason you're likely to have a hard time finding "track changes" in Google Docs is because Google Docs calls "track changes" Suggesting. In order to track changes in Google Docs, you'll need to switch the mode from Editing to Suggesting. We'll walk you through how to do this and how to use track changes in Google Docs.

Editing vs. Suggesting mode in Google Docs

Editing mode

Editing mode means that a writer and/or editor make direct changes to a document that are not tracked. The changes happen in real-time.

Suggesting mode

Suggesting mode means that the changes instead become suggestions, which an editor or writer may accept or reject.

Google Workspace

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Remember that "Suggesting" mode is what Google Docs calls track changes. To turn this feature on:

Click on the mode button in the upper-right of the page. (It may say "Editing," if you're in that mode.)
Choose Suggesting.

Now, when you make edits or additions to the document, your changes will appear as suggestions with your name/time/date attached to them. For example, if you were to add double-spacing to the Google Doc, then that change would appear as a suggestion, which could then be accepted or rejected later.

When you add new text now, Google Docs considers it a suggestion (not actual text). This includes ALL changes you make to your Google Doc. Other editors or writers with whom you have shared this document will be able to see these suggestions, which is how "track changes" works, as well.