Version History allows you to view and revert to previously saved versions of your paper. A version is created when your paper autosaves or you explicitly save your paper and you have made at least 300 characters of changes to the paper body or text appendices.
When you select the Browse Version History link, you’ll see a list of paper versions. The version list includes
How it was created (e.g., autosave, explicit save, etc.),
The version author, and
The version date and time.
In the version list, you can also add notes to any version. For example, you might use notes to indicate which version was reviewed or approved by your instructor.
For any previous version, you can compare it to your current paper content by selecting the Compare to Current button. By default, you’ll see some context around the changes, but you can adjust the amount of context shown. The comparison screen will always compare the selected version to the current paper content. Content added since the previous version will be highlighted in green and marked with a plus (+) icon; content removed since the previous version is highlighted in red and marked with a minus (-) icon.
Restore a Previous Version of Your Paper
From the comparison screen, you can opt to Restore This Version. When you select that option, you’ll see a modal listing content that will be restored (and what content won’t be restored) and will be asked to confirm your selection.
While the lists of items like references, tables, and figures will be restored, the content within those items will not be reverted. The reference, table, and figure content will be kept current.