Open with Review Mode only on Word for the Web

[Georges Krinker]

Hello Tech Community,

@StephenRice and I wanted to reach out and get your feedback on a new feature that is rolling out for OneDrive, SharePoint and Word! We’re excited to release a new capability that allows you to share a Word document that forces recipients into Review mode (where they can make comments and tracked changes only).

When users share a Word document, you’ll find a new option in the Link Settings page to enable the Open in Review mode feature.

This feature is only supported for Word on the web at this time. Users who open links with these settings in the Word desktop app will see a bar across the top of the client letting them open the file in Word on the web to leave behind tracked changes and comments.

Open in Review Mode for Word on the web is currently available in First Release and we’d love to hear your feedback and thoughts!

Georges Krinker

Senior Program Manager, Word

[#2]

@Georges Krinker This sounds promising and I believe it will be embraced within my org!

[#3]

That's awesome! Feel free to pass along any feedback! We're super curious how this lands in your organization.

[#4]

@Georges Krinker Hey! Will provide feedback in some form when appropriate. But as it's initially First Release it will take some time org-wide!

[#5]

@Georges Krinker 

Hello George, nice feature!

Is it possible to configure the review mode for commenting only?

We don't want the reviewers to write in the document (no tracked changes), we just want them to add comments.

[#6]

This feature is definitely needed!

[#7]

This is a very useful feature. Is it possible to add it to the options that can be set as defaults for a site or organisation, so that links are by default generated to open files in review mode?

[#8]

@Georges Krinker, Thank you, sounds very useful. Can you also set that "open in review mode only" option for a document of which you already shared the link? Imagine, for instance, that "open in review mode only" makes sense only at a second stage of working on a common document with partners but you don't want to confuse people by sending another link?

[#9]

@Georges Krinker I like it in theory, but it's not actually working for me. I.e. when I create the link and paste it in a browser to test, it still opens in editing mode. Or is review only for the invitees, not the main author?