How to Remove Comments from a Word Document (All Methods)

How do you remove comments from a Word document? To delete every comment in desktop Word, go to Review → Delete → Delete All Comments in Document. To remove only one modern comment thread, select it in the Comments pane, open More thread actions (…), and choose Delete thread.

Key Takeaways

• Delete permanently removes a comment; Resolve only marks the discussion as finished.
• No Markup and Show Comments change what you see, but they do not remove comments from the file.
• Deleting comments does not remove tracked insertions, deletions, or formatting changes.
• Save a backup before using a bulk-delete command or Document Inspector.

Before You Delete: Comments, Resolved Threads, and Tracked Changes

Word uses several review features that can look similar but behave differently. A comment is a note attached to text or a location in the document. A tracked change records an edit, such as inserted text, deleted text, or formatting. A resolved comment remains in the file but is moved out of the active discussion view.

Use Delete when the comment itself should no longer remain in the document. Use Resolve thread when you want to preserve the discussion as review history. Use Accept or Reject for tracked changes. Hiding comments with No Markup is useful while reading, but anyone can show them again later.

Before deleting a large number of comments, save a copy such as report-reviewed.docx. This preserves the original feedback if you later need to check why a change was made.

How to Delete One Comment in Word on Windows or Mac

Current Microsoft 365 versions usually display comments in a pane on the right. The command may say Delete thread because a comment can include replies from several reviewers.

1. Open the document and select Review.
2. Select Show Comments or open the Comments pane.
3. Click the comment thread you want to remove.
4. Select More thread actions (…).
5. Choose Delete thread and confirm if Word asks.

In a classic-comments layout, select the comment and use Review → Delete. You can also right-click a comment balloon and choose the delete command when that option is available. The highlighted text remains in the document; only the attached note is removed.

How to Remove All Comments from a Word Document

Use the bulk command when a review is complete and the final Word file should not contain any comment threads.

1. Save a backup copy of the document.
2. Open the copy and go to Review.
3. In the Comments group, open the arrow beside Delete.
4. Select Delete All Comments in Document.
5. Save, close, and reopen the file to verify that the Comments pane is empty.

This command removes active and resolved comments from the current file. It does not automatically accept or reject tracked changes. If red insertions, deleted text, revision bars, or formatting marks remain, handle them separately in the Changes group.

How to Remove Comments in Word for the Web

Word for the web uses modern comment threads. You need editing permission; a view-only or restricted document will not let you delete review content.

1. Open the file in editing mode.
2. Open the Comments pane.
3. Select the thread you want to remove.
4. Open More thread actions (…).
5. Select Delete thread.

Repeat the process for other threads. When a browser version does not provide the same bulk-delete menu as the desktop app, choose Open in Desktop App and use Delete All Comments in Document there.

How to Delete Comments in Word on iPhone, iPad, or Android

The mobile layout is more compact, but the result is the same.

1. Tap the highlighted text or comment indicator.
2. Open the comment thread.
3. Tap the More button or ellipsis.
4. Select Delete thread.

On tablets that show the Review ribbon, you may also see Delete and Delete All. Menu names can vary slightly by screen size and app version. Save the document and reopen the Comments pane to confirm that the thread is gone.

How to Remove Comments in WPS Writer

WPS Writer can open a Word-compatible .docx file and remove its comment markup from the Review tab.

1. Open the document in WPS Writer.
2. Select the comment you want to remove.
3. Go to Review → Delete to remove the selected comment.
4. To clear the entire file, open the Delete drop-down and choose Delete All Comments in Document.
5. Save the document as .docx, then reopen it to verify the result.

Comments and tracked changes are separate in WPS Writer as well. Deleting comments does not automatically accept changes recorded by Track Changes.

How to Remove Comments and Tracked Changes Before Sharing

A document can look clean while still containing review data. Complete both parts of the cleanup:

1. Use Review → Delete → Delete All Comments in Document to remove comment threads.
2. Open the Accept or Reject menu in the Changes group.
3. Review changes individually, or use an appropriate Accept All or Reject All command.
4. Turn off Track Changes so new edits are not recorded.
5. Set the display to All Markup once more and inspect the document before saving.

Do not rely on No Markup as a privacy step. It only changes the current view. For a focused explanation of comments versus tracked changes, see how to handle comments and review changes in Word.

Use Document Inspector for a Final Privacy Check

For a client handoff, legal document, public download, or external submission, Word's Document Inspector can find comments, revision marks, document properties, author information, and other hidden content.

1. Save a separate copy of the original document.
2. In the copy, choose File → Info.
3. Select Check for Issues → Inspect Document.
4. Choose the categories you want Word to inspect.
5. Select Inspect.
6. Review the results, then select Remove All only for the information you intend to delete.
7. Run the inspection again and save the cleaned copy.