> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.papers.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.papers.ai/using-ai/reviewing-ai-changes.md).

# Reviewing AI changes

The AI proposes changes; it doesn't apply them straight away. Every edit, rename, or delete stages for your review before it touches your project. Read-only actions (search, compile, running code) happen immediately, without review.

{% hint style="info" %}
This covers edits the AI proposes to existing files. Files a notebook's code cells write directly, like a `.csv` or image output, including when the AI runs that code on your behalf, aren't proposed edits. They're written immediately, the same as if you'd run the code yourself. See [Notebooks](/notebooks-and-data/notebooks.md).
{% endhint %}

## Review and accept changes

{% stepper %}
{% step %}

### Ask for an edit

Ask the AI for something that involves editing files.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Open the review

When it's done, open **Review changes** in the AI panel and look through the diff: changed files and highlighted edits.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

### Choose what to keep

Choose **Accept** (apply everything), **Always** (apply, and let the AI make this kind of change without asking again in this project), or **Dismiss** (reject everything). For a mixed set of changes, accept or reject them one at a time instead of all at once.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}

You'll know it worked when accepted changes appear in your files immediately, and the file tree and any open tabs update to match.

{% hint style="success" %}
**Always** is worth using once you trust the AI with a repetitive task in a given project, for example always letting it fix formatting in your Markdown files. You can undo that trust later from the project's AI permission settings.
{% endhint %}

## Word documents with track changes on

If a Word document has track changes turned on, an AI edit skips the chat changeset card and lands directly as a tracked change in the document instead. Review it the same way you'd review a change from a person, through the track changes controls in the Word toolbar, not the AI panel.

## Undo

Right after accepting, you can undo from the resolved change. This only works for the current session; if you refresh the page or move on, the undo snapshot is gone.

## Limits

* The AI can't write outside your project or touch sensitive files like `.env` or credentials.
* Edits are capped in size; very large rewrites in one go aren't supported.
* It has to read a file before it can edit it.
* If you ask the AI to change a file again while an earlier change to that file is still pending review, the earlier one is marked **Outdated** and you can only dismiss it. Review the newer change instead.

## Troubleshooting

<details>

<summary>Nothing happened after an edit request</summary>

Usually a no-op: the AI tried to change text that wasn't actually there. Ask it to re-read the file and try again.

</details>

<details>

<summary>"Always" didn't stick</summary>

Check that the project is writable and try again.

</details>

<details>

<summary>A file looks stale after accepting</summary>

Reopen the file tab.

</details>

## Next steps

* [Using AI](/using-ai/using-ai.md)