How to Add a Comment in Microsoft Word

This wikiHow teaches you how to add a comment to a Microsoft Word document in a variety of ways.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Adding a Comment Using Right-Click

  1. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 1
    1
    Double-click a Word document you wish to change. Doing so will open the document in Microsoft Word.
  2. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 2
    2
    Click and drag your cursor across some text. This will highlight the text. You'll want to highlight everything on which you wish to leave a comment (e.g., an entire sentence or paragraph).
    Advertisement
  3. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 3
    3
    Right-click or two-finger click the selected text. Doing this will prompt a drop-down menu.
  4. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 4
    4
    Click New Comment. It's at the bottom of the right-click menu.
  5. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 5
    5
    Type your comment. It will appear on the right side of the Microsoft Word window.
  6. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 6
    6
    Click anywhere on the document. Doing so will cement your comment, allowing you to move on to the next section of text that needs commenting.
    • Be sure to save your document before closing, or your comments won't be saved.
    7. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Adding a Comment Using Track Changes

  1. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 7
    1
    Double-click a Word document you wish to change. Doing so will open the document in Microsoft Word.
  2. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 8
    2
    Click the Review tab. It's in the blue section at the top of the document's page. Doing so will open a new set of options related to editing your document.
  3. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 9
    3
    Click Track Changes. This option is at the top of the Word page, near the middle of the screen. Clicking it will enable Microsoft Word's "Track Changes" feature.
  4. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 10
    4
    Click the drop-down box next to Track Changes. Doing so will present you with the following editing options:
    • Simple Markup - Draws a vertical red line on the far left side of any added or deleted text, but shows no other edits.
    • All Markup - Displays all changes you make to your document in red text and comment boxes on the left side of the page.
    • No Markup - Displays your changes in addition to the original document, but no red text or comment boxes appear.
    • Original - Displays the original document without your changes.
  5. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 11
    5
    Click All Markup. This option allows you to leave comments for other users to review if need be.
  6. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 12
    6
    Click and drag your cursor across some text. This will highlight the text. You'll want to highlight everything on which you wish to leave a comment (e.g., an entire sentence or paragraph).
  7. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 13
    7
    Click the New Comment button. It's near the center of the "Review" row of tools at the top of the Word window.
  8. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 14
    8
    Type in your comment. It will appear on the right side of the Microsoft Word window.
  9. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 15
    9
    Click anywhere on the document. Doing so will cement your comment, allowing you to move on to the next section of text that needs commenting.
    • Be sure to save your document before closing to make sure that your comments are preserved.
    10. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Adding a Handwritten Comment

  1. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 16
    1
    Double-click a Word document you wish to change. Doing so will open the document in Microsoft Word.
  2. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 17
    2
    Click the Review tab. It's in the blue section at the top of the document's page. Doing so will open a new set of options related to editing your document.
  3. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 18
    3
    Click Track Changes. This option is at the top of the Word page, near the middle of the screen. Clicking it will enable Microsoft Word's "Track Changes" feature.
  4. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 19
    4
    Click the drop-down box next to Track Changes. Doing so will present you with the following editing options:
    • Simple Markup - Draws a vertical red line on the far left side of any added or deleted text, but shows no other edits.
    • All Markup - Displays all changes you make to your document in red text and comment boxes on the left side of the page.
    • No Markup - Displays your changes in addition to the original document, but no red text or comment boxes appear.
    • Original - Displays the original document without your changes.
  5. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 20
    5
    Click All Markup. This option allows you to leave comments for other users to review if need be.
  6. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 21
    6
    Click Ink Comment. It's in the top-right corner of the "Comments" section of the toolbar at the top of the page.
  7. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 22
    7
    Write your comment. You'll do so in the pane on the right side of the page.
    • If your computer doesn't have a touchscreen, you can click and drag the mouse to draw.
    • The horizontal lines in the pane will disappear when you submit your comment.
  8. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 23
    8
    Click or tap anywhere on the document. Doing so will cement your comment, allowing you to move on to the next section of text that needs commenting.
    • Be sure to save your document before closing to make sure that your comments are preserved.
    9. Advertisement
Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Replying to a Comment

  1. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 24
    1
    Double-click an edited Word document. Doing so will open the document in Microsoft Word.
  2. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 25
    2
    Hover the cursor over a comment. You'll see a couple of options appear below the comment.
  3. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 26
    3
    Click Reply. It's the leftmost option below your selected comment.
  4. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 27
    4
    Type in your reply. It will appear indented below the original comment.
  5. Image titled Add a Comment in Microsoft Word Step 28
    5
    Click anywhere on the document. Doing so will cement your reply to the comment.
    6. Advertisement

You Might Also Like

Rotate Text in Microsoft Word
How to
Rotate Text in Microsoft Word
Add an Image in Word
How to
Add an Image in Word
Insert a Table in a Microsoft Word Document
How to
Insert a Table in a Microsoft Word Document
Add Autotext in Word
How to
Add Autotext in Word
Customize the Quick Access Toolbar in Microsoft Word (Windows 7)
How to
Customize the Quick Access Toolbar in Microsoft Word (Windows 7)
Remove a Blank Page in Word
How to
Remove a Blank Page in Word
Check a Word Count in Microsoft Word
How to
Check a Word Count in Microsoft Word
Insert Page Numbers in WordEasily Add Page Numbers to a Word Document on Any Platform
Create an Index in Word
How to
Create an Index in Word
Remove the 'Read Only' Status on MS Word Documents
How to
Remove the 'Read Only' Status on MS Word Documents
Convert Excel to Word3 Easy Ways to Convert Microsoft Excel Data to Word
Insert a Check Box in Word
How to
Insert a Check Box in Word
Make Two Columns in Word2 Easy Ways to Make Two Columns in Microsoft Word
Convert a JPEG Image Into an Editable Word Document3 Free Ways to Convert JPEG Into an Editable Word Document
Advertisement

About This Article

Jack Lloyd
Written by:
Jack Lloyd
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jack Lloyd. Jack Lloyd is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. He has over two years of experience writing and editing technology-related articles. He is technology enthusiast and an English teacher. This article has been viewed 509,281 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 21
Updated: November 23, 2020
Views: 509,281
Categories: Microsoft Word
Article SummaryX

1. Open a Word document.
2. Highlight text on which you wish to comment.
3. Right-click the highlighted text.
4. Click New Comment.
5. Type in your comment.
6. Click anywhere in the document.

Did this summary help you?
Advertisement