How do I revert a document to a previous version?

Using the version control feature is great, but I can only use it to see differences between versions, not simply revert back to a previous one. Am I supposed to open the old version and then cut and paste it into the current version? I don’t understand how this works.

If you are working with versions of a document in two separated files:

  1. Open the copy of the document,
  2. Go to menu Edit > Compare document,
  3. Select the original of the document and click the button Insert

LibreOffice will combine both documents:

  1. the text in common is shown normally;
  2. the passages of text which are displayed in the copy of your document, but not in the original, are identified as insertions;
  3. the missing passages of text in the copy of your document in comparison with the original are identified as removals.

You can then:

  1. accept insertions and removals, in which case the adopted text is that of the copy;
  2. refuse insertions and removals, in which case the corresponding text stays in its original form.

Source: Foire Aux Questions (FAQ) Writer : Comment comparer deux versions d’un document ? on The Document Foundation wiki – (cc) by-sa 3.0

If you are working with versions of a document within a single file:

Please refer to this Q&A: How does the “always save version when closing” under File → Versions work?

There’s also further information at LibreOffice Help: Versions.

I am using the internal version control, so I’m not comparing two different documents but one document with an earlier version of itself, so the first couple of steps are to go to File > Versions, click the earlier version you want, and then click Reject All changes so that you end up with the earlier version. Close enough, though.

See also:

Online Help: Versions

Screenshot: versioning-compare-accept-reject.png

@manj_k: Thank you! I have added your screenshot as well as the link to my answer.

@carnendil – The screenshot refers to

Menu FileVersions… → Select a previous version → click on Compare

See also this screenshot.

@manj_k: Sorry, my mistake. I didn’t actually check. On the other hand, it seems the link to your answer is closer to @Pinyaka’s original problem.