Version History

Track document changes over time, compare versions, and restore previous states.

Version history requires a Pro plan or higher. Retention limits vary by plan.

Overview

Penvio automatically saves versions of your documents as you work. You can also create named versions to mark important milestones, compare any two versions side-by-side, and restore previous versions when needed.

Accessing Version History

Open the Document

Navigate to the document in the editor.

Open Version Panel

Click the History icon in the toolbar, or press Ctrl/Cmd + H.

View Versions

The version history panel shows all saved versions with timestamps and change notes.

Auto-Save Versions

Penvio automatically creates versions:

Every 30 seconds while editing (if changes were made)
When you close the document
Before major operations (merge, split, etc.)

Auto-save versions are subject to retention limits based on your plan. Older versions are automatically cleaned up.

Named Versions

Create named versions to mark important milestones:

Open the version history panel
Click Create Version
Enter a descriptive name (e.g., “Final Draft”, “Approved by Legal”)
Click Save

Named versions are preserved longer than auto-save versions and count toward your named version limit.

When to Create Named Versions

Before sending for review
After major revisions
When a milestone is reached
Before sharing externally
After approval

Comparing Versions

Compare any two versions side-by-side:

Select First Version

In the version history panel, click on a version to select it.

Click Compare

Click the Compare button.

Select Second Version

Choose another version to compare against.

View Differences

The comparison view highlights:

Added annotations (green)
Removed annotations (red)
Modified annotations (yellow)
Page changes (rotations, deletions)

Comparison Details

The comparison shows:

Change Type	Description
Annotations Added	New annotations in the newer version
Annotations Removed	Annotations deleted from the older version
Annotations Modified	Changes to content, position, or styling
Pages Rotated	Pages that were rotated
Pages Deleted	Pages removed from the document
Pages Restored	Previously deleted pages restored
Order Changed	Page order modifications

Restoring Versions

Restore a document to a previous state:

Find the Version

Browse version history to find the version you want to restore.

Click Restore

Click the Restore button on that version.

Confirm

Confirm the restore action. A new version is created with the restored content.

Restoring a version creates a new version with the old content. No data is lost—you can always go back to any version.

Retention Policies

Version retention varies by plan:

Plan	Auto Versions	Retention Period	Named Versions
Free	5	7 days	1
Pro	25	30 days	10
Business	100	90 days	50
Enterprise	Unlimited	365 days	Unlimited

How Retention Works

Auto versions are kept until the limit is reached, then oldest are removed
Named versions are preserved separately from auto versions
Retention period applies to auto versions only
Enterprise plans can configure custom retention policies

Version Information

Each version includes:

Version number - Sequential identifier
Timestamp - When the version was created
Created by - User who made the changes
Change note - Description of changes (for named versions)
Snapshots - Annotation and page state data

Best Practices

Name important milestones - Create named versions for key stages
Add descriptive notes - Help future you understand what changed
Compare before sharing - Review changes before sending to others
Restore with confidence - Know that original versions are preserved
Clean up old versions - Delete unneeded named versions to stay organized

API Access

Version history is available via the API:


# List versions
GET /api/documents/{id}/versions
 
# Create named version
POST /api/documents/{id}/versions
{
  "name": "Final Draft",
  "changeNote": "Ready for review"
}
 
# Compare versions
GET /api/documents/{id}/versions/compare?from={versionId}&to={versionId}
 
# Restore version
POST /api/documents/{id}/versions/{versionId}/restore

Next Steps

Review Workflows - Send documents for approval
Comments - Add comments and annotations
Audit Logs - Track all document activity