Using the History feature

The History feature lets you create and manage different versions of your project. You can view, download and compare project versions, previously deleted files can be restored, and content added by collaborators can be seen at a glance.

Using the full History feature

Full Project History is a premium feature. Overleaf premium features are available to participants in Overleaf Commons, members of group subscriptions, and owners of individual subscriptions. For users on our free plan, the History panel will show edits made in the last 24 hours. If you need history from more than 24 hours ago, or if you’d like to test-drive the full History feature as well as other premium features, you can start a free trial here.

Only the project owner needs to be on a premium subscription in order for them and any collaborators to access the full history.

How to access a project’s history

Click on History, located above the preview panel, to access the History feature. You can then select:

  • All history to view all available history versions.
  • Labels to access the list of labels you have created.

How to return to editing mode

To exit the History mode and return to normal editing mode, just click on History again.

What happens to the history if you copy a project?

A copied project starts with a completely new, fresh history—the original project’s history is not copied to the new project.

How to label or download a project version

To label or download a project version you need to:

  • Switch to the All history view.
  • Select the three-dot menu Image of the three dot menu icon used to access History actions to access the actions Label this version and Download this version.

    • LabelAVersion.png

How to label a project version

Follow these steps to label a project version:

  1. Switch to the All history view.
  2. Select the three-dot menu Image of the three dot menu icon used to access History actions on the version you wish to label.
  3. Choose Label this version.
  4. Type the desired label into the popup window and select Add label.

    5. Image of the pop up window used to provide a label for Overleaf project versions


Note: You can attach multiple lablels to each project version.

How to label the current version of a project

The current version of a project is labelled Current state. Follows these steps to edit that label:

  1. Select the Labels tab of the History pane.
  2. Select the three-dot menu Image of the three dot menu icon used to access History actions.

    3. Labelling the current project state

  3. Choose Label this version.
  4. Type the desired label into the popup window and select Add label.

How to download a project version

Follow these steps to download a project version:

  1. Switch to the All history view (or the Labels view).
  2. Select the three-dot menu 3dotmenu2.png on the version you want to download.
  3. Choose Download this version.
  4. A .zip file, containing your project files, is generated and downloaded to your device.

How to compare versions

To select a range of versions to compare, use the icons Image of an icon used to select Overleaf project versions for comparison., Image of an icon used to select Overleaf project versions for comparison. or Image of an icon used to select Overleaf project versions for comparison. located on each project version. Noting that project versions are listed in chronological order, with the newest at the top and older versions lower down the list, these icons perform the following actions:

  • Image of an icon used to select Overleaf project versions for comparison.: compare up to this version
  • Image of an icon used to select Overleaf project versions for comparison.: compare from this version
  • Image of an icon used to select Overleaf project versions for comparison.: this icon appears for versions in the middle of the current comparison range. It provides a drop-down menu offering
    • Compare up to this version
    • Compare from this version

The following 45-second video demonstrates how to compare project versions.

How to restore your entire project or individual project files

With a single click, you can restore your entire project—or an individual file—to a previous version, complete with comments and tracked changes.

How to restore a single file to a previous version

Follow these steps to restore a single file to a previous version. This process restores the file’s content, plus any comments and tracked changes, to the state it was in at the selected date and time.

  1. Switch to the All history view.
  2. Select the file version you wish to restore.
  3. Select Restore this version to reinstate the file.

    4. Steps to restore a file version.

  4. You are asked to confirm that you want to Restore this version of the chosen file. Select Restore to confirm.

    5. Overleaf's pop-up modal checking if you want to restore a file

  5. Overleaf restores the file and switches your project out of History mode and back to editing mode.

How to recover a deleted file

Follow these steps to recover accidentally deleted files.

  1. Switch to the All history view.
  2. Select the project version in which the file was deleted.
  3. Select the deleted file from the list of project files (it will be crossed out).
  4. Select Restore this version to recover the file.

    5. Image showing how to restore a deleted project file using the new History user interface.

  5. You are asked to confirm that you want to Restore this version of the chosen file. Select Restore to confirm.

    6. Overleaf's pop-up modal checking if you want to restore a file

  6. Overleaf restores the file and switches your project out of History mode and back to editing mode.

How to restore an old version of your project

Follow these steps to restore an entire project to a previous version. This process restores the projects’s content, plus any comments and tracked changes, to the state it was in at the selected date and time.

  1. Switch to the All history view.
  2. Select the project version you wish to restore.
  3. Select the three-dot menu (Image of the three dot menu icon used to access History actions).
  4. Choose Restore project to this version.

    5. How to restore an Overleaf project version

  5. You are asked to confirm whether you want to restore the entire project to its state at the specified time and date—including any comments and tracked changes. Select Restore to confirm.

    6. Overleaf's pop-up modal checking if you want to restore your project

  6. Overleaf restores your project, switches out of History mode and back to editing mode. You will need to select the file you want to continue editing.