How to See When a Microsoft Word Document Was Created Or Modified on Mac

There are many reasons that you may want to find the creation or last modified date for a document in Microsoft Word. You might want to see how long ago you composed a letter or the last time you changed a company report.

Whatever your reason, we’ll show you how to see when a Word document was created and modified on Mac.

Access the Word Document Properties

If you have your Word document open, the simplest way to see the date it was created as well as modified is using the Properties.

1. Select File > Properties in the menu bar.

2. Go to the General tab in the dialog box.
3. You’ll see a brief list of document properties with the Creation and Modification dates at the bottom of the list.
4. Select OK when you finish to close the Properties window.

Tip: If you happen to be checking your other document details on the Statistics tab, like the word count, you’ll see the Created and Modified dates there as well.

View the Word Recently Opened Screen

Maybe you have Word open on Mac, but not necessarily the document you want to check. It could be that you want to see the creation or modification date first to make sure you’re opening the correct file. You can start with the recently-opened menu.

1. With Word active, select File > Open Recent in the menu bar and choose More at the bottom of the list.

2. On the left of the subsequent screen, choose Open.
3. To the right, choose Recent Folders, OneDrive, or another storage location containing the file.
4. Locate and select the file to display the preview on the right. You’ll see the Created and Modified dates beneath the preview.

5. When you find the correct Word document, choose Open, or pick Cancel to exit the screen.

Use Finder on Mac

If you don’t have Word or the document open, you can use Finder to see the creation and modification dates. There are two ways to do so, depending on your preference or Finder view settings.

Look to the Finder Preview

Do you use the Finder Preview pane for quick snapshots of selected files? This handy spot can provide details including the creation and modification dates.

Open Finder, select the Word document, and then look at the Preview pane on the right. You’ll see the Created and Modified dates in the Information section.

Don’t see the Preview pane? Select View > Show Preview in the menu bar. The pane then opens on the right side of your Finder window as in the above screenshot.

Don’t see those dates in the Preview? Select View > Show Preview Options. Check the box for Dates and then the boxes for Created and Modified. When you close the window, you should see both dates in the Preview.

View the Finder Columns

Maybe you don’t normally use the Preview pane in Finder. Instead, you can view the columns that display the creation and modification dates. This is especially useful if these are dates you plan to view often.

Right-click a column heading at the top of Finder. In the drop-down menu, select Date Modified and Date Created to place checkmarks next to each.

You should then see those columns in your Finder window. Select your Word file to highlight it and look to those columns for the dates.

Open the Get Info Tool

One more simple way to see the creation and modification dates for a Word document on Mac is using the Get Info tool. This is convenient if you have the document on your desktop as a simple Word icon; however, you can also use it in a Finder folder.

1. Right-click the Word document and select Get Info.

2. When the small window opens, use the arrow near the top left to expand General if necessary.
3. You’ll see the Created and Modified dates at the bottom of the list of details.

4. Use the X in red on the top left to close the Get Info window.

Bonus: See All Modified Dates for a Word Document on Mac

If you save your Word files to OneDrive or SharePoint in Microsoft 365 or have an older version of Microsoft Office on Mac, you can also see the version history with the modified dates and times.

1. With the Word document open, select the arrow next to the file name at the top of the window. Note that you can see the Last Modified date next to the name as well.

2. Select Browse Version History in the small pop-up window.

3. You’ll then see the history of changes to the document in a sidebar on the right. Plus, you have the option to open one of the previous versions if you like.

For an older version of Word on Mac instead, select File > Browse Version History.

See Your Word Document Info Easily on the Mac

Like many things on a Mac, as well as Windows, there’s more than one way to perform a task. With these handy ways to find the creation date or last time you edited a Word document, you’ll wonder no more.