How to Fix Word Comments Missing or Not Showing
Question details
The user is unable to view comments added to a thesis document, even after setting the display settings to All Markup.
- Product
- Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Reviewing a thesis document to check feedback and comments left by a professor.
- Observed behavior
- The comments are completely missing and do not show up on the page despite selecting the All Markup view.
Verify that you are opening the correct, most recently saved version of the document returned by your professor, and not an older draft.
Adjust Show Markup Settings and Use the Reviewing Pane
Ensure that the comments are enabled under the Show Markup dropdown and use the Reviewing Pane to locate any hidden feedback.
Often, Word hides specific types of markup based on your viewing preferences. By default, Word may filter out specific reviewers or default to Simple Markup, which minimizes the appearance of comments.
Open your document and click on the 'Review' tab located in the top ribbon of the application.
Click on the 'Show Markup' dropdown menu. Ensure that there is a checkmark next to 'Comments'. Then, hover over 'Specific People' and verify that 'All Reviewers' or your professor's specific name is checked.
Next to the Show Markup option, click the display dropdown and ensure it is set to 'All Markup' instead of 'Simple Markup' or 'No Markup'.
Click on the 'Reviewing Pane' button in the Tracking group. This will open a side panel listing all revisions and comments, allowing you to read them even if they fail to display in the document margins.
Easily View and Manage Document Comments with WPS Office
If your comments are still not showing up correctly, try opening the document in WPS Office. WPS Writer offers seamless comment tracking, a clear interface, and full compatibility with Microsoft Word documents, ensuring no feedback is lost.
- 1. Open Document in WPS Writer: Launch WPS Office and open your .docx file containing the thesis and comments.
- 2. Access Review Options: Navigate to the 'Review' tab in the top menu bar.
- 3. Enable All Markup: Find the tracking dropdown area and ensure 'All Markup' is selected to display all modifications.
- 4. Show Comments: Click on 'Show Markup' and ensure 'Comments' is checked so that all reviewer feedback appears clearly in the right side margin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my comments not showing even with All Markup selected?
This usually happens if 'Comments' is unchecked in the 'Show Markup' dropdown, if the document view is set to Web Layout or Read Mode, or if the reviewer filter under 'Specific People' is excluding the person who left the comments.
How can I print my Word document with the comments visible?
To print comments, go to File > Print. Under Settings, click the dropdown that says 'Print All Pages' (or your active setting) and ensure that 'Print Markup' is checked at the bottom of the list.
Will comments disappear if I save the document in a different format?
Yes, saving a Word document in formats like Plain Text (.txt) or Rich Text Format (.rtf) may strip away comments and tracked changes. Always save reviewed documents in the standard .docx format.
