How to delete saved versions in Mac OS X Lion

Solution 1:

If you want to delete old versions from a document directly:

1. Click besides the document name in the window title to access the version history
2. Time-machine like view opens, with document history on the right hand side
3. Clicking on the same menu as in step 1 in a history version will allow you to delete just this version
4. Option-Clicking will allow you to delete all history versions at once

Solution 2:

When you trash a document, the system cleans up all of the versions at the same time.

I have been copying that document elsewhere (another drive), deleting the one with history, and then copying it back.

Also, from the app, if you have a Duplicate or Export option in the File menu, that will spawn off an unversioned copy that you can then save.

In practice, it's never been an issue since when I drag a file to export or upload, these Lion versions don't travel with the document - they only take up marginal space on my HD and help me with the history of each document.