Microsoft Copilot adds track changes, comment management to Word for legal and compliance workflows

Microsoft has added track changes monitoring and comment management capabilities to Copilot in Word, targeting professionals in legal, finance, and compliance sectors.

Copilot now tracks edits at the word level, maintaining transparency for document review processes. Users can manage comments directly within text, insert tables of contents, and configure headers and footers with dynamic fields including page numbers.

For complex edits spanning multiple steps, Copilot displays real-time progress updates showing which changes are being applied.

Work IQ and security

According to Microsoft, the features run on "Work IQ," a layer designed to adapt Copilot responses based on individual users and their organization's context. Microsoft states that data remains within Microsoft 365's existing security boundaries.

Availability

The new capabilities are currently available exclusively on Windows desktop through the Office Insiders Beta Channel's Frontier program. Microsoft plans to extend support to web and Mac platforms but has not announced specific timelines.

The update arrives days after Anthropic released a Claude-based plugin for Word with similar document editing capabilities.

What this means

Microsoft's addition of granular editing controls to Copilot addresses a critical gap for enterprise users who require audit trails and version control. Track changes functionality is fundamental to legal document review and regulatory compliance workflows—sectors where AI adoption has been slower due to transparency requirements. By keeping these features within Microsoft 365's security perimeter and adding organization-specific adaptation through Work IQ, Microsoft is positioning Copilot as an enterprise-ready tool rather than a consumer productivity add-on. The limited rollout through the Insiders program suggests Microsoft is testing these features with power users before broader deployment.