Add comments and toggle Track Changes in Word for Mac
Command-Option-A inserts a comment in Word for Mac. Command-Shift-E toggles change tracking. A comment explains or asks about a passage; Track Changes records edits while that feature is on.
Microsoft Word · Reviewed 2026-11-05 · Review method
Platform, keyboard and verification notes
- Scope
- Microsoft Word · Microsoft Word desktop for Mac; Mac section of Microsoft documentation checked 5 November 2026. Not Word for the web.
- Keyboard and customization
- English documentation and US-style key names. Punctuation and function keys can differ on other layouts.. These are documentation-backed defaults, not a hands-on test. App settings, operating-system shortcuts, extensions and keyboard layout can change what happens. Check focus and the current app menu or shortcut settings when a binding differs.
- Review basis
- Documentation reviewed 2026-11-05 by Codex — source and editorial review; no runtime test. These bindings were not tested in a running app for this guide.
Mac shortcuts for this workflow
| Action | Keys | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Insert comment | Command-Option-A | Anchor a review note to the relevant document content. Source ↗ |
| Toggle change tracking | Command-Shift-E | Check the visible review state after using this toggle. Source ↗ |
| Undo last edit | Command-Z | Reverse an unintended document edit when appropriate. Source ↗ |
Anchor the question to the relevant passage
Select the wording or place the caret where the review note belongs before inserting a comment. Write a specific question or requested change so another reader knows what to do. A comment near an entire section can become ambiguous if the note refers only to one number, phrase or unsupported statement.
Read the current tracking state
A toggle reverses the current setting rather than always turning tracking on. Inspect Word’s review controls before and after using the shortcut. Tracked edits and comments are different kinds of review material; deleting a comment is not the same as accepting or rejecting document changes, and hiding markup is not the same as removing it.
Check a review copy before sharing
Practice on a copy that is safe to change: add a comment, enable tracking, make a small edit and inspect what Word records. Then use the visible review commands to handle those changes deliberately. Before sending a document externally, review comments and tracked content for private notes instead of assuming the displayed clean view contains no review history.
Sources and corrections
- Keyboard shortcuts in Word — Microsoft Support, Mac section — checked 2026-11-05
Found a mismatch? Email pashaseenainc@gmail.com with your app version, macOS version, keyboard layout and the command. Please leave personal document names out.
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