How do I turn off the "Final Showing Markup" feature on Microsoft Word 2011 when the document is initially opened?
April 12, 2011 5:50 PM

How do I turn off the "Final Showing Markup" feature on Microsoft Word 2011 when the document is initially opened?

I do a lot of academic writing and have collaborators who offer feedback through the TRACK CHANGES feature in Microsoft Word. I recently was updated to Word 2011 and every time I open up a file that has had changes tracked, I always get the "Final Showing Markup" View.

In the 2007 version, Final Showing Markup was not the default and only came on when I switched it "on" in the View.

How do I make the default NOT show the markup and just the paper itself (sans comments, edits, etc.)?

Thanks for the help!
posted by bengalsfan1 to Computers & Internet (8 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
I'm so sorry, I don't have MS2011, BUT to do this in the previous version, Tools > Track Changes > Accept or Reject Changes > Accept All. That'll get rid of all the mark up.

...Unless you're looking for a way to save the markup without displaying it upon opening, in which case I am lame and can't help you.
posted by smirkette at 6:06 PM on April 12, 2011


Thanks for the response. However, as you suggest, I'm looking for a way to DISABLE the "Final Showing Markup" without having to turn it off every single time I open the document.
posted by bengalsfan1 at 6:16 PM on April 12, 2011


See this post.

The actual answer is in the second response. I think it may have been written for Word 2007, but should work for Word 2010.

Note the warning about turning off Markup. It is a good point.
posted by lampshade at 6:23 PM on April 12, 2011


Thanks for the response.

I am operating a MacBook and don't know where to find the "Office" button that the post speaks about. Any help?
posted by bengalsfan1 at 1:07 PM on April 13, 2011


It is the large circle in the upper left hand corner of the screen. See this post from Microsoft.
posted by lampshade at 1:51 AM on April 14, 2011


It should be the same for Mac or PC.
posted by lampshade at 1:52 AM on April 14, 2011


Sorry...I forgot, you are using Mac Office 2011. It is a little different.

I did some looking around and it appears that the Track Changes "on" is now a default in Mac Offices. The logic being that it is dangerous to leave a document unfinalized before distribution.

I searched a few forums and nobody had an answer for turning the option off as default (even MS MVPs). From that, I can only assume that there is no option to default to the off position. Each time you must Accept Changes in the Review tab that you open a document.
posted by lampshade at 4:59 AM on April 14, 2011


Lampshade: Thanks so much for looking. I wish MAC would trust me. But, of course, this is the same company that won't let me look at porn, either.
posted by bengalsfan1 at 7:10 PM on April 15, 2011


« Older Retrieving a toothbrush from the sink drain?   |   Critical constants by simulation. Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.