How to compare two email drafts line by line

You have two versions of an email and need to know exactly what changed. A small edit can alter a date, soften a request, or introduce a typo that is easy to miss when you read the drafts separately.

Use Text Compare to check the drafts side by side and find added, removed, or changed lines. Then review the differences in context before sending, because a comparison shows what changed, not whether the new wording is correct.

Compare the two drafts

1. Open Text Compare. Put the earlier email draft in one text area and the revised draft in the other. Keep track of which side is which.
2. Copy the complete email text, including the subject if you want to compare it. Include the greeting, body, sign-off, and any signature that changed.
3. Run the comparison and scan the results from the first line to the last. Look for inserted text, removed text, and changed wording or punctuation.
4. Check each difference against the original drafts. Confirm that the comparison is showing an actual edit, not a line break or formatting change caused by copying.
5. Review the final email in the mail app before sending. Check the subject, recipient, links, formatting, and attachments separately.

For a clean comparison, use the same text in both versions except for the edits you want to review. Remove an old quoted email thread or unrelated signature from both sides if it is not part of the change. Do not remove it from just one draft, since that creates extra differences.

What the comparison shows

A line appears as added

The revised draft contains text that is not in the earlier version. Check whether it adds a needed detail, such as a deadline, a meeting location, or a next step. Pay close attention to amounts, dates, and names, where one extra digit or letter can change the meaning.

A line appears as removed

Text from the earlier draft is missing in the new one. Make sure the deletion was intentional. A removed sentence might take away a condition, a reason for the request, or a helpful explanation that the recipient needs.

A line appears changed

Some comparison tools show a replacement as a deletion and an addition. Read the full sentence, not only the highlighted words. A change from “can” to “can’t,” for example, is only one short edit but reverses the message.

Many lines appear different

This can happen when you moved a paragraph or changed line breaks, even if most of the wording stayed the same. Compare the matching sentences and paragraphs, then check whether the email still presents the information in a sensible order. Reformatting can make the result look dramatic without changing the meaning.

No differences appear

The text you supplied may be identical, or the changes might be outside the part you copied. Check that you compared the intended versions and included the subject or other sections you wanted to review. A text comparison also may not show visual differences such as font, color, or layout.

Review edits before sending

1. Check high-impact details first. Verify names, dates, times, prices, addresses, and deadlines in the revised version. Compare numbers character by character when accuracy matters.
2. Read each changed sentence in full. A replacement word can affect the tone or meaning of the whole sentence. Read the sentence before and after it too, so you can catch a change that no longer fits the surrounding message.
3. Check the subject and recipient. If you included the subject in the comparison, review its edits along with the body. Confirm the recipient in your mail app, since comparing text cannot confirm who will receive the message.
4. Open links and confirm attachments. A pasted link may look unchanged while its destination differs, and a text comparison cannot verify that an attachment is present. Check both in the final email before sending.
5. Inspect formatting in the mail app. Copying text into a comparison can remove bold text, links, spacing, or other formatting. Check paragraph breaks, bullets, and the signature in the actual message.
6. Read the final version aloud or slowly. This can reveal missing words and awkward transitions that are not obvious in a list of edits. Make sure the tone matches the relationship and purpose of the email.

When line-by-line comparison is not enough

A line comparison is useful for wording, but it does not judge whether a change is accurate, polite, or appropriate. It can also treat a moved paragraph as removed text in one place and added text in another. When that happens, follow the content rather than assuming every marked line is a new sentence.

If the drafts contain sensitive business, personal, or customer information, check your organization’s rules before putting the text into an online tool. You can also replace private details with placeholders in both versions, compare the wording, and restore the correct details after your review.

Keep the two original drafts until you have checked the final message in your email app and confirmed it is ready to send.