The quickest way to accept all tracked changes

To accept all changes in a Word document at once, open the document with tracked changes, then go to the Review tab at the top of the screen. In the Changes group, click the small arrow next to Accept and select Accept All Changes. Word will incorporate every tracked change into your document in a single action.

This method works whether you have two changes or two hundred. Once you click Accept All Changes, the document reverts to normal editing mode — no more red underlines, strikethrough text, or change balloons in the margin.

Key Takeaways

  • The Accept All Changes button is in the Review tab under the Changes group, accessed by clicking the arrow next to Accept.
  • Accepting all changes at once applies every edit, deletion, and insertion to your document permanently.
  • You can undo Accept All Changes immediately after with Ctrl+Z if you change your mind.
  • If you want to review changes one at a time instead, use the Accept button without the arrow to go through them individually.

Where to find the Accept button in different Word versions

In Word for Windows (2016 and later), the Review tab is always visible at the top. Click it, then look for the Changes group in the middle of the ribbon. The Accept button has a small downward arrow next to it — click that arrow to see the menu.

In Word for Mac, the Review tab is also at the top. The layout is slightly different, but the Accept button with its dropdown arrow is in the same general area. If you cannot find it, use the keyboard shortcut: press Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac), then R for Review, then navigate with arrow keys to Changes.

In Word Online (the browser version), click Review at the top, then look for Accept All Changes in the toolbar. The button may be labeled slightly differently depending on your browser and whether you are using a recent version of Office 365.

What happens when you accept all changes

When you click Accept All Changes, Word processes every tracked change in the order it appears in the document, from top to bottom. Insertions become permanent text, deletions disappear completely, and formatting changes apply. The change balloons vanish, and the document looks like a normal, finished file.

The document does not save automatically after you accept changes. You still need to save the file yourself using Ctrl+S (Windows) or Command+S (Mac), or by clicking File and then Save. If you close the document without saving after accepting changes, the changes remain accepted — you cannot undo them by reopening the file.

How to undo accepting all changes

If you accept all changes and immediately realize you made a mistake, press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac) to undo. This restores all the tracked changes to their original state, and you can review them individually if needed.

This undo works only if you have not performed any other actions since accepting. Once you make another edit, save the file, or close and reopen it, the undo history clears and you cannot restore the tracked changes. If this happens, you would need to ask the person who made the edits to send you the original version with changes still tracked.

Reviewing changes one at a time instead

If you want to see each change before accepting it, use the Accept button without clicking the arrow. Each time you click it, Word accepts the next change in sequence and moves to the following one. This is slower than accepting all at once, but it gives you control over which changes stay and which ones you reject.

To reject a change instead of accepting it, click the arrow next to Reject (also in the Changes group) and choose Reject or Reject All Changes. You can mix and match — accept some changes, reject others, and leave some for later review if you need time to decide.

Turning off track changes after accepting all

After you accept all changes, the document still has track changes turned on. This means any new edits you make will be tracked. To stop tracking new changes, click the Track Changes button in the Review tab (it usually shows as a toggle that is either on or off). When it is off, your edits appear as normal text without any tracking.

Some people turn off track changes immediately after accepting all changes to avoid accidentally tracking their own final edits. Others leave it on if they expect to send the document back to a collaborator for further review. The choice depends on your workflow and who else will be working on the file.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I accept some changes and reject others without going one by one?

Not in a single action. Word does not have a button to accept changes by category (all insertions, all deletions, etc.) or to accept changes from one person while rejecting another's. You must either accept all at once or go through them individually using the Accept button.

What if the Accept All Changes button is grayed out?

This usually means there are no tracked changes in the document — all changes have already been accepted or rejected. It can also mean track changes is not turned on. Check the Track Changes button to see if it is active, and scroll through the document to confirm there are no red edits visible.

Does accepting all changes remove comments from the document?

No. Accepting or rejecting tracked changes does not affect comments. Comments stay in the document until you delete them manually. To remove all comments, go to Review, click the arrow next to Delete, and select Delete All Comments.

Can I accept all changes in a document that is shared with other people?

Yes, but be careful. If the document is open in Word Online and shared with collaborators, accepting all changes applies them for everyone. Other people will see the changes accepted, and they cannot undo your action. Make sure you have permission to finalize the document before accepting all changes.