How to Copy PowerPoint Comments with Slides to Another Presentation
Question details
Users want to retain feedback and comments when copying or importing slides from one PowerPoint presentation into another, but the transfer behavior is inconsistent.
- Product
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Device & OS
- Windows, Mac (version 16.60)
- Scenario
- Copying, pasting, or importing slides containing comments into a new or different presentation.
- Observed behavior
- Comments do not consistently transfer with the slides. The behavior varies significantly depending on the PowerPoint platform, version, and operating system, often requiring users to recreate comments manually.
Verify your current version of Microsoft Office (especially if you are using Mac version 16.60 or newer), as comment transferring capabilities frequently change or become restricted in recent updates.
Manually Transfer or Recreate Comments
Since automatic transfer of comments during slide copying is inconsistent across newer versions, manually replicating them or exporting them is the most reliable workaround.
Microsoft PowerPoint does not consistently support copying comments along with slides when pasting them into a new presentation. While this feature worked in some older builds, newer versions (like Mac 16.60) often strip comments during the copy-paste process to prevent metadata conflicts.
Right-click the desired slide in the thumbnail pane of your original presentation and select 'Copy'.
In the destination presentation, right-click the thumbnail pane and choose 'Keep Source Formatting' under the Paste Options.
Return to the original presentation, open the Comments pane, highlight the comment text, and press Ctrl+C (or Cmd+C on Mac).
Go to the newly pasted slide in the destination presentation, click 'New Comment' on the Review tab, and paste the text.
Use the Reuse Slides Feature
Using the built-in 'Reuse Slides' tool can sometimes yield better results for retaining slide metadata compared to standard copy and paste shortcuts.
Try WPS Office for a Seamless Presentation Experience
Struggling with PowerPoint's inconsistent comment copying and version discrepancies? WPS Office is a powerful, free alternative that ensures your presentation workflows remain smooth. It provides high compatibility with Microsoft Office formats, a familiar interface, and lightweight performance without the premium price tag.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free suite for your operating system.
- 2. Open Your Presentation: Launch WPS Presentation and open your existing .pptx file directly.
- 3. Manage Slides and Comments: Easily copy, paste, and manage your slides and feedback using the highly compatible and intuitive interface.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my PowerPoint comments disappear when I copy a slide?
Microsoft PowerPoint handles comments as localized metadata linked to the original presentation's authoring environment. In newer versions, copying a slide to a different presentation often strips this metadata to prevent formatting conflicts or user tracking issues, causing the comments to be lost.
Can I merge two PowerPoint presentations and keep all comments?
Yes, if you use the 'Compare' feature located under the Review tab to merge presentations, PowerPoint is much more likely to retain the comments and markup from both files compared to standard copy-pasting.
Is the comment copy behavior different on PowerPoint for Mac versus Windows?
Yes, users frequently report inconsistencies between the two platforms. Features that worked on older Windows builds may not function the same way on newer Mac versions, particularly on Mac build 16.60 and later.
How can I export my PowerPoint comments before copying slides?
You can save a record of your comments by going to File > Print and selecting 'Print Comments' to save them as a PDF. Alternatively, you can go to File > Export > Create Handouts to export the slides and their accompanying notes directly to Microsoft Word.
