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You can compare two document versions with desktop Microsoft Word or LibreOffice Writer: both provide built-in comparison workflows that create reviewable changes. These steps do not, by themselves, guarantee that the application makes no network connections. Keep the original files, save the comparison separately, and follow your organization’s security policy if the documents are sensitive.
Compare two versions in Microsoft Word
Microsoft documents this workflow for Microsoft 365 and listed desktop versions including Word 2024 and Word 2021. It can compare text, comments, and formatting, with differences displayed at word or character level.
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Open Word and go to Review > Compare > Compare two versions of a document (legal blackline).
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Select the original document and the revised document.
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Choose which changes to include, such as text changes, comments, or formatting, and select the desired level of detail.
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Review the result. Word displays it in a new document by default; save that comparison copy separately to preserve both inputs.
Microsoft Support says, “The source documents that are being compared are not changed.” That statement describes the documented comparison operation. If you choose the original or revised document as the result destination instead of a new document, Word modifies the selected destination.
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For Mac, Microsoft’s cited instructions cover Word 2019: use Review > Compare > Compare Documents, select the original and revised files, and view revision marks in a new copy based on the original. Those instructions are specifically for Word 2019 for Mac; they should not be assumed to describe every Mac release. See Microsoft’s Word 2019 for Mac instructions.
Compare versions in LibreOffice Writer
Writer’s comparison workflow starts with the reviewer’s newer document. It marks inserted and deleted passages so you can inspect, accept, or reject changes.
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Open the newer, reviewed document in Writer.
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Choose File > Compare Document, then select the older original document.
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Inspect the marked insertions and deletions. Accept or reject the changes you want to keep.
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Save the reviewer’s document under a new name so the comparison result is separate from the original files.
LibreOffice provides automatic comparison, comparison by word, and comparison by character; the character option includes a minimum-character setting. See LibreOffice Help: Comparing Versions of a Document and Document Comparison Options.
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Which comparison workflow should you choose?
| Choose | Best fit | What the documented workflow offers |
|---|---|---|
| Microsoft Word | You already use desktop Word, especially for Word documents, or need to include comments and formatting. | Selectable text, comment, and formatting comparisons; word- or character-level display; a new comparison document by default. |
| LibreOffice Writer | You already use Writer and want a built-in way to review edits. | Marked insertions and deletions, with changes available to accept or reject; automatic, word, or character comparison options. |
The official instructions describe different workflows but do not provide a controlled accuracy comparison, so they do not establish that one application is more accurate. Choose based on the software you have, whether comments or formatting matter, the level of detail you want, and whether you can save a separate result.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What these desktop steps do—and do not—establish about privacy
Using a desktop comparison command is not proof that the application has no network traffic or that telemetry, connected services, plugins, or cloud-related activity are disabled. The feature instructions explain how to compare documents and where the result appears; they are not comprehensive network-privacy guarantees.
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Keep original files and save the comparison result under a separate name.
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For sensitive files, follow your organization’s approved device and network policy.
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Verify the exact application configuration before comparing confidential documents; do not rely on the desktop workflow alone as a zero-network assurance.
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