Highlight LaTeX Resubmission Changes
Free. No signup. Works with Overleaf projects.
When you send a revised paper, most journals want a copy of the manuscript with your changes highlighted, next to the clean version. In LaTeX, that copy is made with latexdiff. Add the version you submitted and your revision, and this tool writes the marked-up file you compile into the PDF the journal asks for.
How to make the highlighted manuscript
Step 1
Get the version you submitted
Use the exact files you sent, not a later draft. In Overleaf, download it from History (see the FAQ if it is older than 24 hours on the free plan). If you posted the paper on arXiv, the abstract page of each version links to its TeX source.
Step 2
Add both versions and generate the diff
Paste the two main .tex files, or upload a .zip of each version of the project.
Step 3
Compile the diff inside your project
Download diff.tex, put it next to your main file so it finds your figures, class file and .bib, and compile it to PDF. Additions show in blue with a wavy underline, deletions in red and struck out.
Step 4
Check it against your response letter
Every change you list for the reviewers should be visible in the PDF.
What a revision usually includes
| File | What it is | How you make it |
|---|---|---|
| Revised manuscript | The clean source and PDF, with every edit applied | Your LaTeX project |
| Highlighted manuscript | A PDF with additions and deletions marked | This tool |
| Response to reviewers | A point-by-point reply to each comment | A separate letter |
Journals name these files differently. PLOS ONE, for example, asks for "Manuscript", "Revised Article with Changes Highlighted" and "Response to Reviewers", and its LaTeX guidelines recommend latexdiff for the marked-up copy. Other journals say "tracked changes version", "marked-up manuscript" or "diff". They all mean the same kind of file, but check your journal's revision instructions for the file name and format.
Before you upload the highlighted PDF
- Compare against the version the reviewers saw. For a second revision, that is usually your first revision, not the original submission, unless the editor asks for all changes since the start.
- Figures: a new figure, or one whose file name changed, gets a blue frame. An image replaced under the same file name looks unchanged, so mention it in your response letter.
- References: changes inside the .bib file are not compared. Citations you added or removed in the text are marked.
- Equations: by default a changed equation is marked as one block. To show which symbols changed, set Math markup to fine under Advanced options.
- If the journal class breaks the diff, set Change blocks to SAFE, or Float handling to FLOATSAFE, and generate it again.
- If the journal wants margin marks instead of colour, set Marking style to CHANGEBAR.
- Page numbers in your response letter: say whether they refer to the clean manuscript or the highlighted one, because the markup moves text between pages.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. "Tracked changes", "changes highlighted", "marked-up manuscript" and "diff version" all mean a PDF that shows your additions and deletions. In LaTeX, latexdiff is the usual way to make it.
Usually the PDF, as an extra file next to the clean manuscript. A few journals also want the source; your journal's revision instructions will say.
Overleaf's free plan keeps the last 24 hours of history plus labeled versions. If you did not label the submitted version, download it from the journal's submission system, which keeps the files you uploaded. Next time, use Label this version in History when you submit.
Rarely. The default blue for additions and red for deletions works for most journals. If yours asks for something specific, change Marking style under Advanced options: CHANGEBAR puts bars in the margin, and BOLD sets additions in bold.
The diff is always between two versions. Pick the two the editor asked about, usually the last version the reviewers saw and your new one.
It is free and needs no signup. Your files are processed to make the diff and discarded straight after.
Need the whole paper formatted in LaTeX?
Our LaTeX experts format papers and theses for journals and universities by hand, with no upfront payment. 1,100+ clients in 40+ countries.
See our LaTeX services