Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Disabling Track Changes Completely.

Disabling Track Changes Completely

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 30, 2020)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Monica uses shortcut keys for applying styles and formatting in Word. Once in a while she accidentally turns on the Track Changes feature without realizing it, which causes problems for her. She would like a way to disable Track Changes completely.

The bad news is that there is no way to actually disable Track Changes. The good news is that you probably don't need to disable it. The problem isn't Track Changes, but the shortcut used to enable Track Changes. If you disable the shortcut, then you won't inadvertently turn it on while you are shortcutting away.

The shortcut key that toggles Track Changes is Ctrl+Shift+E. To disable this shortcut key, follow these steps:

  1. Choose Customize from the Tools menu. Word displays the Customize dialog box.
  2. Click the Keyboard button. Word displays the Customize Keyboard dialog box. (See Figure 1.)
  3. Figure 1. The Customize Keyboard dialog box.

  4. In the Categories list, choose Tools.
  5. In the Commands list, choose ToolsRevisionMarksToggle. You should see the Ctrl+Shift+E shortcut appear in the Current Keys box.
  6. Select the shortcut in the Current Keys box.
  7. Click Remove.
  8. Close both of the open dialog boxes.

Since the shortcut for Track Changes is now gone, you'll no longer be able to accidentally turn it on.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (191) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Disabling Track Changes Completely.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Colorizing Charts

Need to change the color of different parts of your chart? It's easy to do when you apply the technique described in this ...

Discover More

Feeling All Powerful?

Need all your Control Panel shortcuts in a simple place? Use this tip to create a special folder that contains all the ...

Discover More

Widening Multiple Columns Proportionally

It is easy to adjust the width of columns in Excel. It is much harder to adjust the width of a range of columns ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!

More WordTips (menu)

Printing without Track Changes Marks

If your document has a lot of markup visible in it, you may want to print a copy of the document that doesn't reflect ...

Discover More

Deleting Table Columns with Track Changes Turned On

If you are editing a document with Track Changes turned on, Word won't let you delete a column in a table and have it ...

Discover More

Tracked Changes Won't Go Away

Track Changes is a great tool when editing a document, but the ways that it affects your document can sometimes be ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 2 + 8?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Videos
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.