ExcelRewind vs Excel Track Changes
An independent product, not affiliated with Microsoft.
If you searched this, you probably already use Excel's built-in change tools and are wondering what ExcelRewind actually adds. Short answer: Excel's tools are good at logging what changed in a cell and restoring an older file. ExcelRewind is built for a narrower job they don't do at all, recording why a change happened, as a note attached to the edit, in a session anyone can replay. This page compares them honestly, including where the built-ins simply win.
What is Excel Track Changes, exactly?
"Track Changes" now covers three separate Microsoft features: Show Changes, the modern per-cell change log for workbooks on OneDrive or SharePoint; Version History, which saves whole-file snapshots through the same cloud storage; and the original Track Changes tied to the legacy Shared Workbook model, which still works offline but is hidden by default and steered away from in favor of co-authoring. For the full walkthrough of each one, including exact steps and Microsoft's own documented limits, see how to track changes in Excel. This page is the shorter side-by-side.
ExcelRewind vs Excel's change-tracking tools, side by side
| What matters | Excel Show Changes / Version History | ExcelRewind |
|---|---|---|
| Runs automatically, always on | Yes, for any cloud-stored workbook, with no setup per session | No, records only a session you choose to start |
| Captures why a change was made | No, values and timestamps only | Yes, a note per edit |
| Works offline or on locally stored files | No (Show Changes needs OneDrive/SharePoint); Version History needs the cloud too | Yes, any file, any storage location |
| History time limit | Show Changes caps at 60 days; Version History depends on cloud retention | No fixed cap; the recording is a file you keep |
| Restores a whole prior file state | Yes (Version History) | No, replays the recorded edits; it doesn't roll back the live workbook |
| Real-time co-authoring presence (a separate Microsoft 365 feature, not Show Changes) | Yes, when co-authoring in the cloud | No, not a co-authoring tool |
| Tracks charts, formatting, macros | No (Version History preserves them only as part of a whole-file snapshot) | No, also cell-focused |
| Extra install required | No, built into Microsoft 365 | Yes, the ExcelRewind add-in (free tier available) |
Every row on the Excel side reflects Microsoft's documented behavior, not a worst-case reading. The two products overlap on almost nothing except "records a cell edit changed."
When the built-in tools are the right choice
Reach for Excel's own tools first in these cases. They genuinely win here.
Co-authoring awareness
Show Changes and presence indicators exist because people edit the same cloud workbook at once. ExcelRewind doesn't do live multi-user awareness; that's not its job.
Restoring the whole file
Need last Tuesday's entire workbook back, not just a list of edits? Version History restores a full prior state. ExcelRewind replays a recording; it doesn't roll the live file back.
Zero additional install
Show Changes and Version History ship inside Microsoft 365. If the workbook is already on OneDrive or SharePoint, there's nothing to set up.
Free with Microsoft 365
If you're already paying for Microsoft 365 and your files live in the cloud, this coverage costs nothing extra.
Where ExcelRewind wins instead
ExcelRewind's case is narrower but real. ExcelRewind is an Excel add-in (with a Google Sheets add-on) that records why the numbers in a spreadsheet change. It captures every cell edit with timing and a note explaining the reasoning, and saves them to a shareable, replayable .rewind companion file. It never modifies the original workbook and never uploads spreadsheet content1. That matters most in four situations Excel's tools don't cover: reviewing why an assumption moved, not just that it did; sharing a walkthrough with someone who has no OneDrive access or no Microsoft 365 seat; working on files that live locally, on a shared drive, or anywhere other than OneDrive/SharePoint; and keeping a record that outlives the 60-day Show Changes window. See the full breakdown of what Excel's tools miss.
Where ExcelRewind has its own limits
To keep this comparison honest in both directions: ExcelRewind is not an always-on audit log. It records a session only while someone presses Record in the add-in, on the machine where the add-in is installed, not every edit ever made by everyone with access to a file. It's also cell-focused, the same way Show Changes is: chart edits, PivotTable changes and formatting changes aren't captured. If a macro made the change, ExcelRewind sees the resulting cell edits, not the macro code that caused them (see tracking changes made by a macro). And a .rewind recording is a companion file you replay, not a mechanism for restoring the live workbook to an earlier state.
See a real recording replay in your browser. You don't need an account or an install.
Watch a live replayInstall the add-in or read how spreadsheet content is never uploaded, or see how FP&A teams use ExcelRewind.
Frequently asked questions
Is ExcelRewind a replacement for Excel Track Changes?
Not exactly. Excel's Show Changes, Version History and legacy Track Changes are built to log what changed in a cell or restore a prior file state, and they do that well when the workbook lives on OneDrive or SharePoint. ExcelRewind is built for a different job: recording why a change happened, as a note attached to the edit, in a replayable session you can share with anyone. Most teams end up using both.
What's the real difference between ExcelRewind and Excel's Show Changes?
Show Changes lists who changed a cell, the old and new value, and when, for up to 60 days, and only for workbooks stored on OneDrive or SharePoint. ExcelRewind records the same kind of cell-level edit plus a note explaining the reasoning, works on any file regardless of where it's stored, and keeps the recording as long as you keep the file, with no 60-day cutoff.
Does ExcelRewind track changes automatically, like Show Changes does?
No, and this matters. Show Changes logs every edit to a cloud-stored workbook in the background, all the time, for anyone with access. ExcelRewind only records a session while you press Record in the add-in. It is not an always-on audit log of every edit ever made by everyone; it is a deliberate recording of a session you chose to capture, on the machine where the add-in is installed.
Which one should I use, Excel Track Changes or ExcelRewind?
Use Excel's built-in tools when you need co-authoring awareness, a full-file restore point, or a change log with zero extra install, and your workbook already lives on OneDrive or SharePoint. Use ExcelRewind when you need to capture and share the reasoning behind specific edits, work offline or on files stored anywhere, or keep a record that doesn't expire after 60 days.
Can I use ExcelRewind and Excel's built-in tools together?
Yes. They don't conflict. Show Changes or Version History can keep running on a cloud-stored workbook exactly as before, while ExcelRewind records specific sessions, like a model review or a walkthrough for a client, as separate .rewind files alongside it.
1 The one exception: a Kiosk/Exam mode submission uploads the finished exam recording to ExcelRewind's storage for instructor review, sealed to the organization's encryption key when one is enabled.
Last updated: July 2026.
ExcelRewind is an independent product and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft and Excel are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Questions? [email protected].