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Use the Compare tool in PowerPoint to compare and merge two different versions of a file.

In a collaboration scenario, you could send a review copy of a presentation to other people, collect their changes and comments in that copy, then use the Compare tool in PowerPoint to compare and merge the review copy with your original file. These steps are described in detail below.

Step 1: Send your presentation for review

Before people can review your presentation, it's a good idea to save the original copy, and then post a second copy for them to review. Saving the original will give you something to compare changes with when everyone’s done reviewing.

  1. Create a draft of the presentation and save a hard copy.

  2. Save another copy of your presentation with a different name to a shared location, such as OneDrive or SharePoint.

  3. In OneDrive or SharePoint, right-click the file and select Copy Link to get a link you can send in email to your reviewers.

  4. Ask reviewers to add comments to your slides and to add their feedback to the presentation.

Step 2: Compare and merge two versions of the same file

When everyone is done reviewing the presentation you shared, you can review the changes and merge it with the copy you saved of the original.

  1. Open the original version of the presentation that you saved on your computer.

  2. Click Review > Compare, and then click Compare.

  3. In the Choose File to Merge with Current Presentation box, find the version of your presentation that you saved to the shared location, click it, and then click Merge.

    Note: The Revisions task pane opens to display all comments and changes made by reviewers.

  4. If reviewers left comments in your presentation, you’ll see them under Slide Changes in the Revisions task pane.

    Slide Changes

  5. To read the comments in detail, at the bottom of the PowerPoint window, on the status bar, click Comments.

    Note: For details about working in the Comments task pane, see Tips for working in the Comments task pane below.

  6. If reviewers made changes to your presentation, you’ll see them under Presentation Changes in the Revisions task pane.

    Presentation Changes

  7. To see the details about a change in the body of the slide, click each list item.

    View a change

Accept or reject changes made by others

To accept or reject a change made by a reviewer, do the following:

  • To accept a change, check the box next to the Other authors A change has been made icon (also shown below).

    Accept a change by checking the box

  • To reject a change, do nothing. Boxes that aren’t checked won’t be added to the presentation.

Tips for working in the Comments task pane

  • On a slide you’ll see a Comments icon when someone has left a comment. Double-click the icon to read the comment.

  • Click Next Go to the next comment to move to the next comment and click Previous  Go to the previous comment to move to the previous comment.

  • To delete a comment, move your pointer over the comment and click Delete Delete.

    Delete a comment

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