How to See Editing History in Google Docs

To see editing history in Google Docs, open the document and click Last edit at the top right, or press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + H (Cmd + Option + Shift + H on a Mac). A panel lists earlier versions, with who made changes and when. Select one to review it, and choose Restore this version to go back to it. You need edit access to the file.

These steps follow Google’s Find what’s changed in a file help page. The shortcut comes from Google’s keyboard shortcuts for Google Docs list, where it is called Open revision history.

In this article:

• See who edited last
• Open version history
• Restore an older version
• Copy an older version
• Name important versions
• See who wrote a specific part
• Delete version history
• If you can’t see version history
• FAQs

How to See Who Edited a Google Doc Last

Hover over Last edit at the top right of the document. Google says this shows who last updated the file and when. If the icon has a blue dot, someone changed the file since you last viewed it.

How to Open Version History in Google Docs

1. Open the document in Google Docs on a computer.
2. At the top right, click Last edit. You can also press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + H.
3. In the panel on the right, choose a version to see who updated the file and what changed.
4. To find versions that are grouped together, click Expand in the right panel.
5. To return to the current version, click Back at the top left.

While you are viewing history, Google’s shortcuts let you jump between edits: Ctrl + Alt + K moves to the next edit and Ctrl + Alt + J moves to the previous one on Windows.

Result: You can see exactly how the document looked at each saved point.

How to Restore an Older Version

1. Click Last edit at the top right.
2. In the right panel, choose the earlier version you want.
3. At the top, click Restore this version, then Restore.

Restoring doesn’t erase the newer versions. They stay in the history, so you can switch back if you change your mind. If the whole document was deleted instead of edited, see how to restore a deleted Google Doc from the Trash.

Result: The document goes back to the version you picked.

How to Copy an Older Version

If you want to keep the current document as it is but work from an earlier draft, make a copy:

1. Click Last edit.
2. Next to the version you want, click More > Make a copy.
3. Enter a name and choose where to save it.
4. Check Share it with the same people if you want the same sharing settings, then click OK.

How to Name Important Versions

Google says named versions are not merged with other versions, so they are easy to find later. In the version history panel, choose a version, click More, and select Name this version. You can add up to 40 named versions per document. Turn on Only show named versions to hide the rest. For a step-by-step guide, see how to name a version in Google Docs.

How to See Who Wrote a Specific Part

Select part of the document, right-click it, and choose Show editors. Google notes that this feature is only available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus and Education Plus customers, so it won’t appear on a personal Google account. Everyone else can use version history to see who made each change.

How to Delete Version History

File owners can remove old versions. Google warns that deleting version history is permanent and can’t be undone. Named versions are not removed.

• Delete all versions: click Last edit, click More in the version history panel, select Delete history, then click Delete forever.
• Delete older versions: select a version, click More next to it, choose Delete this and older versions, then Delete forever.

What to Do If You Can’t See Version History

• Check your access: Google says you need permission to edit a file to see its version history. Ask the owner for edit access.
• Look for grouped versions: Google may occasionally merge revisions. Click Expand in the panel to see grouped versions, and name important versions so they stay separate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can viewers see version history?

No. Only people with edit access can browse earlier versions.

Does version history work in Google Sheets too?

Yes. The same Last edit panel works in Sheets, and you can right-click a cell and choose Show edit history. See how to restore an older version of a Google Sheets file.

How do I hide comments and suggestions while I read?

See how to switch viewing modes in Google Docs.