How to Turn Off Comments on a Word Document

To turn off comments on a Word document, first decide whether you want to hide them, prevent new comments, or remove them permanently. In current Microsoft 365 versions, close the Comments pane with the Comments button or use Review → Display for Review → No Markup for a cleaner editing view. These options do not delete the comments from the file.

Key Takeaways

• Closing the Comments pane hides the comment list but keeps every thread in the document.
• No Markup hides comments and tracked-change markup temporarily; it does not remove either one.
• Use Can view sharing permissions or Restrict Editing → No changes (Read only) when other people should not add comments.
• Turning off modern comments only switches Word back to the older comment interface; it does not disable commenting.
• Use Delete All Comments in Document only when you want the comments removed permanently.

How to Hide Comments in Word Without Deleting Them

This is the best method when you still need the reviewer feedback but want a clean page while reading, editing, presenting, or checking the layout.

1. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
2. Select the Comments button near the upper-right corner to close the Comments pane. In some versions, use Review → Show Comments.
3. Open the Review tab.
4. In the Tracking group, open Display for Review and choose No Markup.
5. For older or classic comment layouts, open Show Markup and clear Comments.

The comments remain embedded in the document and can appear again when you reopen the file, select All Markup, or open the Comments pane. Hiding markup is therefore a viewing preference, not a document-cleaning method.

Simple Markup is not the same as turning comments off. It reduces visual clutter but still leaves indicators in the margin. Choose No Markup when you need the cleanest on-screen view.

How to Prevent New Comments in a Shared Word Document

If other people should be able to read the file but should not add comments or suggestions, change the document permissions rather than only hiding your own comment view.

Share the file as view-only

1. Select Share in Word, OneDrive, or SharePoint.
2. Open the link or recipient permission settings.
3. Choose Can view instead of Can review or Can edit.
4. Apply the permission and send the new link.

Can review is specifically designed to let recipients add comments and suggested revisions, so do not use that permission when your goal is to stop comments.

Protect a desktop document as read-only

1. Go to Review → Restrict Editing.
2. Under Editing restrictions, select Allow only this type of editing in the document.
3. Choose No changes (Read only).
4. Select Yes, Start Enforcing Protection.
5. Add a password if the document needs stronger protection, and store that password safely.