Lesson 21: Version History
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Version history
Google Docs saves every change made to your document through a feature calledversion history. In this lesson, you'll learn how to use version history torestore your document to the exact moment you desire, copy specific sections, and determine who made certain changes.
Watch the video below to learn how to use version history.
Accessing version history
There are two ways to access version history.
- Go toFile > Version history > See version history.
- Click the save notice at the top of the document.
Browsing different versions
On the right side of the screen, previous versions of the document are saved in chronological order.Browse different versions until you find what you're looking for. Versions are often grouped together, and you can clickthe drop-down arrow to expand the group.
Underneath each version, you can see who made the changes. Click a version to review it.
As you review previous versions, you can toggle theShow changesoption tomake it easier to see differences between the versions.
Naming versions
If you want to keep track of a specific draft, you can name a version. Click the dots next to the version that you want to name and selectName this version.
Naming a version makes it much easier to find. You can even filter to only show named versions.
Restoring versions
To restore an earlier version, clickRestore this versionat the top.
Next, confirm your choice. Keep in mind that restoring a version means that you will lose any changes that have been made since then. You should only restore a version as a last resort.
Copying specific sections
If you only want to bring back part of an older version, you can copy and paste that specific text. Highlight a section, right-click, and choose Copy.
Click the arrow in the top-left corner to close version history. You can thenpaste the copied text into the document.
Seeing new changes
When you open a Google Doc, if someone has made changes since you last saw the document, theSee New Changes notification will appear. Click the notification to review the changes.
You can review the changes in a new window. When you return to the document, the See New Changesnotification will be gone.
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