Change the way tracked changes and comments look

Microsoft Office Word 2003

The size of the balloon text is controlled by the point size used in the Balloon Text style.
  1. On the Format menu, click Styles and Formatting.
  2. Under Pick a formatting to apply, right-click the Balloon Text entry, and then click Modify.

    If the Balloon Text style isn't visible, display it.

    ShowHow?

    1. In the Show box, click Custom.
    2. In the Format Settings dialog box, under Styles to be visible, select the Balloon Text check box, and then click OK.
  3. Select any options you want.
  4. To see more options, click Format, and then click the attribute that you want to change.

    Click OK after you've changed each attribute, and then repeat for any additional attributes you want to change.

Notes

  • Changing the Balloon Text style will also affect the appearance of text in the Reviewing Pane.
  • With the exception of the point size of the font, the text in the balloons for inserted or deleted items will resemble the inserted or deleted text as it appears in the document.

ShowTip

To use the modified style in new documents based on the same template, select the Add to template check box. Microsoft Word adds the modified style to the template that is attached to the active document.

ShowChange the default style for comment text

You can use standard formatting commands to modify the text in comment balloons as you type.
  1. On the Format menu, click Styles and Formatting.
  2. Under Pick a formatting to apply, right-click the Comment Text entry, and then click Modify.

    If the Comment Text style isn't visible, display it.

    ShowHow?

    1. In the Show box, click Custom.
    2. In the Format Settings dialog box, under Styles to be visible, select the Comment Text check box, and then click OK.
  3. Select any options you want.
  4. To see more options, click Format, and then click the attribute that you want to change.

    Click OK after you've changed each attribute, and then repeat for any additional attributes you want to change.

ShowTip

To use the modified style in new documents based on the same template, select the Add to template check box. Microsoft Word adds the modified style to the template that is attached to the active document.

ShowChange other display and layout options

  1. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Track Changes tab.

  2. Do one of the following:

    ShowChange the color used for tracked changes

    • Under Markup, next to Color, click a color.

    Note  By default, Microsoft Word uses a different color for each reviewer. To restore this functionality, click By author.

    ShowShow or hide balloons

    • In the Use balloons (Print and Web Layout) box, click an option.

    Notes

    • If you hide balloons (Never option), both insertions and deletions will be shown in the body of the document, and comments will be displayed in ToolTips. Formatting changes will be visible when you view your document in Final or Final Showing Markup mode.
    • If you show balloons for comments and formatting only (Only for comments/formatting option), both insertions and deletions will be shown in the body of the document, and comments and formatting changes will be displayed in balloons.

    ShowChange balloon layout or margin width

    You can adjust layout for either of the following:

    Screen

    • Under Balloons, adjust the values in the Preferred width, Margin, and Measure in boxes.

    Paper

    Under Printing (with Balloons), next to Paper orientation, do one of the following:

    • To let Microsoft Word decide the orientation that will provide the best layout for your document, click Auto.
    • To print the document with the orientation specified in the Page Setup dialog box, click Preserve.
    • To allow the most room for balloons, click Force Landscape.

    ShowAlter the appearance of changed lines

    Do one of the following:

    • Clear changed lines   In the Changed lines box, under Markup, click (none).
    • See and print changed lines to the right of the text   In the Changed lines box, under Markup, click Right border.

      Note  In normal view, all changed lines appear on the left.

    • Display and print changed lines in the left margin of even-numbered pages and in the right margin of odd-numbered pages   In the Changed lines box, under Markup, click Outside border.

      To use this option, you must have selected the Different odd and even check box on the Layout tab in the Page Setup dialog box (File menu), and you must use print layout view. If this option is not selected, Word displays the changed lines in the left margin of all pages. In normal view, all changed lines appear on the left.