Fix Comments Missing from Word Online, SharePoint, and Teams
Question details
Users are unable to see comments in their documents when accessing them through Microsoft web and collaboration platforms.
- Product
- Microsoft Word Online, SharePoint, Teams
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Collaborating on or reviewing documents containing comments via Microsoft 365 web platforms.
- Observed behavior
- Comments completely disappear from the document. While text formatting remains visible, the 'Show Comments' option is either unavailable, has no effect, or reveals no comments even when downloading the file or checking older SharePoint versions.
Verify your internet connection is stable and try opening the document in an entirely different web browser or private/incognito window to rule out local browser cache interference.
Verify 'Show Comments' is Enabled in Review Settings
Ensure that the comments have not been temporarily hidden from the current viewing layout in Word Online.
Sometimes, the document view resets or defaults to hiding markup to provide a cleaner reading experience. Toggling the visibility settings is the first step to ensure comments are actually loaded.
Open your document in Word Online, SharePoint, or Teams, and click on the 'Review' tab located on the top ribbon.
Click the 'Show Comments' button to toggle the visibility of the comments pane on the right side of the screen.
If a dropdown is available under tracking or comments, ensure that 'All Markup' is selected so that all reviewer feedback is displayed.
Check Version History and Download a Copy
Determine if the comments exist in older versions or can be forced to render by using a desktop application instead of the web browser.
Escalate to a Microsoft 365 Administrator
If comments are missing across multiple files and platforms, backend investigation is required to resolve a potential Microsoft 365 syncing failure.
Try WPS Office for Reliable Document Collaboration
If you frequently encounter syncing bugs or missing comments in Microsoft 365 web apps, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible offline and online alternative with robust document review tools.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download and install the free WPS Office suite on your device.
- 2. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your downloaded .docx file directly to bypass web rendering issues.
- 3. Manage Comments Reliably: Navigate to the 'Review' tab and easily view, add, or reply to comments without worrying about cloud syncing glitches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the 'Show Comments' button greyed out in Word Online?
The 'Show Comments' button may be inactive if you only have read-only permissions for the document, if the file format is restricted, or due to a temporary syncing glitch within Microsoft Teams or SharePoint.
Can I recover comments that were accidentally deleted in SharePoint?
Yes. If comments were deleted or disappeared, you can usually recover them by checking the SharePoint Version History (File > Info > Version History) and restoring a previous version of the document from before the comments were lost.
Does downloading the document restore missing comments?
Sometimes. Downloading a copy and opening it in a desktop application can force comments to display if the issue is strictly related to the web browser's rendering capabilities. However, if the comments were lost due to a backend database corruption, they might still be missing in the downloaded file.
