Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Comments in Headers and Footers.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 18, 2020)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021
Chip noticed that when he is working in either the header or footer of a document, the New Comment tool on the Review tab of the ribbon is not available. He wonders if there is a way to insert a comment in either the header or footer.
As far as we've been able to determine, Word doesn't allow you to insert comments in headers or footers. We haven't seen a good explanation for why this is; perhaps it is because headers and footers are designed to be repeated over and over on each printed page, and Microsoft felt there would be no need to repeat a comment over and over.
A simple workaround is to use a text box to simulate a comment. A text box can be created within the header or footer, and it can contain the same sort of text that you might have placed within a comment. Unlike the comment, Word has no problem repeating the text box every time it prints the header or footer.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9254) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Comments in Headers and Footers.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 365 applications with VBA programming. Written in clear terms and understandable language, the book includes systematic tutorials and contains both intermediate and advanced content for experienced VB developers. Designed to be comprehensive, the book addresses not just one Office application, but the entire Office suite. Check out Mastering VBA for Microsoft Office 365 today!
Select some text in a document, and Word automatically places an "add comment" icon in the right margin. If you want to ...
Discover MoreWhen developing a document, you may end up with all sorts of comments that you need to deal with. One common task is to ...
Discover MoreFor certain types of work, footnotes are a necessity. Word provides an easy way to create new footnotes, but what about ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here:
Comments