Word includes a feature that allows you to track changes made to a document. One of the ways in which Word marks your changes on a document is to include a change bar at the side of a line in which a change was made. This is fairly common in editing, but it may not be to your liking. You can turn off the change bars by following these steps if you are using Word 2013 or a later version:

• Microsoft Word Track Changes Turn Off Timestamp
• Microsoft Word Track Changes Will Not Turn Off
• Microsoft Word Track Changes Turn Off
• Microsoft Office Word Track Changes

Microsoft Word Track Changes Turn Off Timestamp

1. Display the Review tab of the ribbon.
2. Click the icon at the bottom-right of the Tracking group. Word displays the Track Changes Options dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Track Changes Options dialog box.

3. Click on the Advanced Options button. Word displays the Advanced Track Changes Options dialog box. (See Figure 2.)

Figure 2. The Advanced Track Changes Options dialog box.

4. In the Markup section use the Changed Lines drop-down list to choose (None).
5. Click on OK to close the dialog box.

Microsoft Word Track Changes Will Not Turn Off

If you are using Word 2007 or Word 2010 the steps are just a little different.

1. Display the Review tab of the ribbon.
2. Click the down-arrow just under the Track Changes tool (in the Tracking group).
3. Choose Change Tracking Options. Word displays the Track Changes Options dialog box.
4. In the Markup section use the Changed Lines drop-down list to choose (None).
5. Click on OK to close the dialog box.

Microsoft Word Track Changes Turn Off

Note that making this setting change hides the appearance of the change bars. Rest assured they are still there and can be redisplayed by choosing to display them again.

Microsoft Office Word Track Changes

Tracking changes in complex documents is a fragile function of Microsoft Word and, even in the best case, often causes confusion and lost time chasing phantom problems. And in the worst case, track changes can cause document corruption, which culminates in the loss of data. When Track Changes is off, Word stops marking changes, but the colored underlines and strikethrough from your changes remain in the document until they're accepted or rejected. Note: If the Track Changes feature is unavailable, you might need to turn off document protection. Go to Review Restrict Editing, and then select Stop Protection.