8 Ways to Use Comments in Microsoft Word

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Microsoft Word's comments feature allows different authors to communicate with each other about the text of the document. Using this functionality in conjunction with the Revisions, a reviewer can explain to the author the reasons for a change in the text, or can request clarification about a particular step; the author can, in turn, respond by commenting on the comment. The comments are displayed, since the 2002 version of Word, in the form of colored boxes on the right margin of the document, and are shown in both the “Print layout” and “Web layout” view; comments can also be viewed in the "Review Pane". You can choose whether or not to view comments, and you can add more, or you can delete or edit them. This article tells you how.

Steps

Method 1 of 8: View the Comments

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 1

Step 1. Enable reviews

How to enable the feature depends on the version of Word being used. Word 2003 and earlier versions use the old toolbar interface, while Word 2007 and 2010 adopt the new Ribbon interface.

In Word 2003, select "Comments" from the "View" menu.
In Word 2007 and 2010, click on "Show comments" in the "Change detection" command group of the "Review" menu, and make sure that, in the menu that appears, the "Comments" option is activated.
By selecting "Comments" again in Word 2003, or by deselecting the "Comments" option in Word 2007 or 2010, the function will be disabled and the comments will be hidden.

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 2

Step 2. Change the view mode if necessary

The comment boxes are visible only in "Print Layout" and "Web Layout" mode or, in Word 2007 and 2010, in "Full Screen Reading" mode. To change the view mode:

In Word 2003, click on "Print Layout" or "Web Layout" in the "View" menu.
In Word 2007 or 2010, select "Print Layout" or "Web Layout" from the "Document Views" group in the "View" menu.
If you have not set the correct display mode, you will not be able to see the comments, but the portion of text that has been selected for inserting the comment will appear highlighted and will be followed by the comment number.

Method 2 of 8: Add Comments

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 3

Step 1. Choose the point of the text you want to comment on

Drag the cursor over the words you want to comment, or place the cursor at the end of the relevant text portion.

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 4

Step 2. Enter your comment

Once you have selected the option for inserting the comments of your version of Word, if you are viewing the print layout or the web layout, a box will appear on the right margin of the document, identified by the initials of your username followed by a number progressive. If you are viewing in normal or draft mode, a number will appear in the review panel.

In Word 2003, select "Comments" from the "Insert" menu.
In Word 2007 or 2010, select "New Comment" from the "Comments" group of the "Revisions" menu.
If your comment is placed between two already existing comments, the comment following the one you entered will be renumbered according to the new sequence.

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 5

Step 3. Type your comment in the box

For the comment text, all formatting options are available, such as bold, italic or underline; you can also insert a link in the comment.

Method 3 of 8: Respond to an Existing Comment

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 6

Step 1. Select the comment you want to reply to

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 7

Step 2. Enter your reply comment

Click in the comment text area and then follow the same procedure described for insertion. The reply comments show the identifier of the person who replies and a sequential number, followed by the identifier of the comment to be replied to.

You can also reply to your previous comment. This can be useful for clarifying the content of your comment, to prevent the words used from being misunderstood

Method 4 of 8: Change the Comments

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 8

Step 1. If necessary, enable viewing of comments

Follow the steps for your version of Microsoft Word described in the “Viewing comments” section.

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 9

Step 2. Click on the box of the comment you want to edit

If you can't see all the related text in the comment box, then enable the review box. Follow the instructions described in the “Viewing the Review Pane” section.

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 10

Step 3. Edit the text as desired

Method 5 of 8: Delete the Comments

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 11

Step 1. Right-click on the comment you want to delete

A menu will appear.

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 12

Step 2. Select “Delete Comment” from the menu

The comment box will disappear, and the following comments will be renumbered accordingly.

Method 6 of 8: Print the Comments

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 13

Step 1. View the document in “Print Layout” mode

See the steps in the “Viewing comments” section to find out how.

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 14

Step 2. If you have not already done so, enable viewing of comments

See the steps in the “Viewing comments” section, based on your version of Word, to find out how.

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 15

Step 3. Find the comments you want to view and print

You can choose to view and print the comments of all reviewers, or only those of a particular reviewer. The commands vary slightly depending on the version of Word you are using.

In Word 2003, select "Show" on the "Comment" toolbar; then select "Reviewers", and choose the "All Reviewers" option, to view the comments of each reviewer, or the identifier of a single reviewer, to view only his comments.
In Word 2007 and 2010, select "Show comments" in the "Change detection" command group of the "Reviews" menu, and select, in the "Reviewers" submenu, the "All reviewers" option to view the comments of each reviewer; or select the identifier of a specific reviewer, to view only his comments.

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 16

Step 4. Print your document

Display the print dialog in your version of Word, and select "Print comments" to print the document including the comments.

To access the print window in Word 2003, select "Print" from the "File" menu.
To access the print window in Word 2007, click on the Microsoft Office button at the top left, and select "Print".
To access the print window in Word 2010, click on the "File" menu and select "Print" in the panel that appears on the left side.
To print the document without including comments, select "Document" from the print window.

Method 7 of 8: Display the Revisions Pane

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 17

Step 1. Open the reviews pane

The commands vary depending on the version of Microsoft Word.

In Word 2003, click on the "Revisions Box" button from the "Comments" toolbar (if the "Revisions" toolbar is not already displayed, click on "Tools" in the "View" menu and select "Revisions").
In Word 2007 and 2010, select “Revision Pane” from the “Track Changes” command group of the “Revision” menu; then select “Vertical Revision Box” to display the panel on the side, or “Horizontal Revision Box” to display the panel at the bottom.

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 18

Step 2. Close the review box when you are done

Click on the "X" symbol in the upper right corner.

Method 8 of 8: Change the ID of the Comments

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 19

Step 1. Display the "Options" or "Word Options" dialog box

Microsoft Word uses the username and initials you typed when installing Microsoft Office (if you didn't type your name and initials during setup, Word and other Office applications will use your name and initials Windows user). You can change the username and initials after installation in the "Options" window of Word 2003 and 2010, or in the "Word Options" window of Word 2007.

In Word 2003, select "Options" from the "Tools" menu. Then select the "View" section.
In Word 2007, click on the Microsoft Office button and then select "Word Options". You can also select "Change Username" from the menu that appears by selecting the "Reviews" button in the "Reviews" menu.
In Word 2010, select the "File" menu and then "Options" in the left panel. You can also choose "Change username" from the menu that appears by clicking on the "Revisions" button of the "Track changes" command group of the "Revisions" menu.

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 20

Step 2. Enter your initials in the "Customize your copy of Microsoft Office" field

Use Comment Boxes in Microsoft Word Step 21

Step 3. Click OK

This closes the options window, and the identifier of your comments is changed.

Although the comments you enter after the change will have the new initials, the previous ones will still show the old identifier

Advice

Comment boxes are colored differently depending on the reviewer and when the comment was created. Initial comments are usually shown in red, while comments from the most recent reviewer are usually in blue.
You can find out the reviewer's full name and the date of the comment by hovering the mouse over the comment box. A small window will appear with this information.