Clever Clogs tip # 722
24 November 2022


Check your document for issues and accessibility (Microsoft Word) *

Here we are ... last tip of November. Those of you who share Word documents with clients, staff or students might find this particularly useful. (Thanks for the tip inspiration, Clare!)

I personally use it to make sure I got rid of all Comments, tracked changes and document properties, but you can also check the document for content that people with disabilities might find difficult to read.

Here's how:

  1. Create or open the document you want to inspect.
  2. On the File tab, in the Info category, click Check for Issues.
  3. Click Inspect Document.
  4. Click Inspect.
  5. Review the results and click Remove All where appropriate.
  6. Click Close or press Esc. (Or Reinspect followed by Inspect if you don't trust it and want to make doubly sure.)

Your document is now ready to be published or shared without unwanted comments and tracked changes. This way you won't accidentally send or store a document with potentially confidential or private remarks in it.

Oh, and remember, you might also want to Check Accessibility to make sure it isn't difficult to read for people with disabilities.

Related tips

  1. Quickly spot whether change tracking is on or off: tip_586.php
  2. Warn before printing, saving or sending a file that contains tracked changes or comments: tip_584.php
  3. Show changes and comments inline instead of in balloons: tip_514.php
  4. Make reviewer names anonymous: tip_449.php
  5. Remove - not just hide - tracked changes: tip_381.php
  6. Comparing two copies of a document: tip_112.html

This week's CleverClogsTipTime on LinkedIn

  1. How do you keep track of birthdays and anniversaries?
  2. I know, I know... I've posted about Clippy 100 times. So this makes it 101
  3. We've looked at F1, F2 and F3 so it's time for F4

K.

PS After years of weekly tips I've decided to email and publish these tips on a monthly basis. Follow CleverClogsTipTime on LinkedIn for more shortcuts, hints and tips.


* Unless stated otherwise this tip is written for Microsoft 365 desktop apps and Windows 10 users, but might also be useful in Office 2010, 2013 and 2016.