Yes, Google Docs has a built-in change tracker called Suggestion mode

Suggestion mode records every edit made to a document and shows who made it and when. When you turn it on, any text added, deleted, or modified appears marked on the page instead of changing silently. The original author or anyone with editing permission can then review each change and accept or reject it.

This is different from straightforward editing a document. In normal editing mode, changes happen when ready and permanently. In Suggestion mode, changes sit in a holding state until someone reviews them. This matters if you are sharing a document with others and need to see exactly what each person altered.

Google Docs also keeps a complete version history that you can access separately. This shows every saved state of the document going back weeks or months, depending on activity. You can view any past version, see who edited it, and restore it if needed.

Key Takeaways

  • Suggestion mode marks all edits visually on the page and requires approval before changes stick, letting you review who changed what.
  • You turn Suggestion mode on from the pencil icon in the top toolbar and can switch between Suggestion and Editing modes at any time.
  • Version history shows every saved state of the document and lets you jump back to any earlier version without losing the current one.
  • Only people with editing permission can accept or reject suggestions, but anyone viewing the document can see them marked.

How to turn Suggestion mode on and off

Open the document and look at the top toolbar. On the right side, you will see a pencil icon with a small arrow next to it. Click that arrow and you will see three options: Editing, Suggesting, and Viewing. Select Suggesting.

Once Suggestion mode is on, every keystroke you make will be marked as a suggestion instead of a permanent change. Text you add appears in a colored box with your name and timestamp. Text you delete appears struck through with the same marking. Other people editing the document will see your suggestions and can accept or reject them one at a time.

To turn Suggestion mode off, click the pencil icon again and select Editing. Any suggestions you made while in Suggestion mode stay in the document until someone reviews them — turning off the mode does not erase them.

Accepting and rejecting suggestions

When suggestions appear in a document, a panel opens on the right side showing each one. You can scroll through the list or click directly on a marked change in the document itself. Next to each suggestion you will see two buttons: a checkmark to accept it and an X to reject it.

Click the checkmark and the suggestion becomes a permanent part of the document. The marking disappears and the text stays. Click the X and the suggestion is removed entirely — if it was an addition, the text vanishes; if it was a deletion, the original text returns.

You can also click "Resolve" on a suggestion without accepting or rejecting it. This hides the suggestion from the main view but keeps it in the document. This is useful if you want to discuss a change with the person who made it before deciding.

Viewing the version history

Version history is separate from Suggestion mode. It shows you every time the document was saved, who saved it, and what changed. To open it, click File in the top left, then Version history, then See version history.

A panel opens on the right showing a timeline of saves. Each entry shows the date, time, and name of the person who saved. Click any entry and the document jumps to that version. The current version stays safe — you are only viewing the past version, not replacing your current work.

If you want to restore an old version permanently, click the three dots next to the version you want and select Restore this version. This makes that old version the current document. The version you were working on does not disappear — it becomes a new entry in the history, so you can always switch back.

The difference between Suggestion mode and version history

Suggestion mode is for real-time collaboration. It lets people see proposed changes as they happen and decide whether to keep them. Version history is a record of what was actually saved. It does not show proposed changes — only changes that were finalized.

If you are working alone and want to see what you changed, version history is faster. If you are working with others and want them to review your work before it becomes permanent, use Suggestion mode. You can use both at the same time: make suggestions in Suggestion mode, and version history will still record each save.

Sharing documents with Suggestion mode on

When you share a document that has Suggestion mode on, the people you share it with will see all the marked suggestions. They can view them, accept them, or reject them depending on their permission level. If you gave them editing permission, they can manage suggestions. If you gave them viewing permission, they can only see suggestions but not act on them.

Suggestion mode stays on for everyone viewing the document. If you turn it off, it turns off for everyone. This means if you are collaborating with others, switching modes affects the whole group.

What happens to suggestions when you read or export

If you read a Google Doc as a Word file (.docx), all suggestions come along with it. They appear as tracked changes in Microsoft Word, which uses a similar system. The person who opens the Word file can accept or reject the suggestions there.

If you read as a PDF, suggestions do not appear — only the final, accepted text shows up. This is useful if you want to send a clean version to someone who does not need to see the editing process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see who made each suggestion?

Yes. Every suggestion shows the name of the person who made it and the exact time. If multiple people are editing, you can filter the suggestions panel to show only changes from one person, which helps when reviewing work from a specific collaborator.

What if I accidentally reject a suggestion I wanted to keep?

Open the version history and jump back to the version before you rejected it. You can then accept the suggestion in that version and move forward from there. The rejected suggestion does not disappear from the history — it is still recorded.

Does Suggestion mode slow down the document?

No. Suggestion mode does not affect how fast the document loads or responds. It only changes how edits are recorded, not the document's performance.

Can I see suggestions from a specific date?

Version history shows you every save with its date and time. You can jump to any version from any date and see what the document looked like then. Suggestion mode itself does not filter by date, but the version history does.

What if someone edits while Suggestion mode is off, then I turn it back on?

Changes made while Suggestion mode was off are permanent and do not appear as suggestions. Once you turn Suggestion mode back on, only new edits will be marked as suggestions. The old changes stay as regular text.