Displaying Document Comments

When you are adding a comment, Word allows you to enter the comment in the balloon area at the right side of the document. Most users, when they are through entering the comment text, hide the comments balloons so they will be able to see more of their document at once. (You hide the comment balloons by clicking the Show Comments tool on the Review tab of the ribbon.)

If you later want to view your comments, Word provides two ways that they can be displayed: either in the Reviewing Pane or in balloons to the right side of your document. The latter method (using balloons) is the default comment-viewing method; there's nothing you need to do to turn it on. If the balloons aren't displayed, however, you can display them by clicking the Show Comments tool on the Review tab of the ribbon. (Note that the Show Comments tool will be greyed out if All Markup is selected in the Tracking group.) You can change any of the comments by clicking within a balloon and making your changes. Then, click some other area of your document outside the balloon.

If you prefer to display the Reviewing Pane, follow these steps:

1. Make sure the Review tab of the ribbon is displayed.
2. In the Tracking group you see the Reviewing Pane tool. Click the down-arrow at the right of the tool. You should see two options displayed.
3. Choose either Reviewing Pane Vertical or Reviewing Pane Horizontal, according to your desires. The Reviewing Pane should appear as indicated by your choice.

Make any changes to your comments in the Reviewing Pane, as desired. When you are done making changes, you can close the Reviewing Pane by again clicking on the Reviewing Pane tool.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (6018) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and Word in Office 365.