Shared file editing visibility reveals who modified documents in collaborative spaces. It works by tracking user access with login credentials and timestamps for each change, contrasting with general activity feeds that might only show updates without attribution. You typically review this through file history interfaces, not by seeing edits live as they happen.

For example, Google Docs displays collaborator names with cursor colors during co-editing and maintains a version history showing exact edits per person. Similarly, Microsoft 365 tracks document changes in SharePoint or OneDrive, attributing edits to specific users in audit logs for compliance purposes.

The main benefit is accountability in team environments—knowing contributors aids feedback and quality control. Limitations include platform dependence (not all cloud services offer this granularly) and permission restrictions preventing some users from viewing history. Adoption relies heavily on transparent collaboration features; as remote work grows, expect more tools to enhance such tracking while balancing privacy concerns.