Printing Problems

How to Print Word Comments with Author, Date, and Time

Maira Mehtab Oct 10, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user wants to print a Microsoft Word document's comments without losing the full author name, creation date, and time.

How to Print Word Comments with Full Author, Date, and Time Details

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Printing a Word document with detailed comment tracking information for review or record-keeping.
Observed behavior: Word's standard comment printing layout often abbreviates the author's name and completely omits the comment's date and time to save space on the page.

Before you start

Ensure you have the Developer tab enabled in Microsoft Word, as extracting this detailed comment information requires running a short VBA macro.

Solution 1Recommended

Export Comments to a New Document via VBA Macro

Use a VBA script to automatically extract all comments, including reference text, full author names, and timestamps, into a neatly formatted, printable table in a new document.

Since Microsoft Word does not natively print full timestamp details in the margin balloons, the most effective workaround is to extract the comment data into a separate document.

The following VBA macro loops through all comments in your current document and generates a new Word document containing a four-column table (Reference Text, Comment Text, Author, Date).

Open the VBA Editor

Press the 'Alt + F11' keys simultaneously on your keyboard to open the Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) window.

Insert a New Module

In the VBA Editor, click on 'Insert' in the top menu bar, and then select 'Module'. This will open a blank text window where you can paste code.

Paste the Macro Code

Copy and paste the following code into the Module window: Dim source As Document, target As Document Dim tbl As Table Dim i As Long Set source = ActiveDocument Set target = Documents.Add Set tbl = target.Tables.Add(target.Range, 1, 4) With tbl .Cell(1, 1).Range.Text = "Reference Text" .Cell(1, 2).Range.Text = "Comment Text" .Cell(1, 3).Range.Text = "Author" .Cell(1, 4).Range.Text = "Date" End With For i = 1 To source.Range.Comments.Count With tbl .Rows.Add .Cell(i + 1, 1).Range.Text = source.Comments(i).Reference.Paragraphs(1).Range.Text .Cell(i + 1, 2).Range.Text = source.Comments(i).Range.Text .Cell(i + 1, 3).Range.Text = source.Comments(i).Creator .Cell(i + 1, 4).Range.Text = Format(source.Comments(i).Date, "General Date") End With Next i

Run the Macro

Press 'F5' on your keyboard or click the green 'Run' triangle in the toolbar to execute the macro.

Print the Generated Table

Close the VBA Editor. You will see a newly created Word document containing a table with all your comments, authors, and precise dates/times. Press 'Ctrl + P' to print this document.

Export Comments to a New Document via VBA Macro

Table Successfully Generated: Your original document remains untouched. The macro only copies the data to create a new, print-friendly report of all document comments.

Easily View and Print Comments in WPS Writer

WPS Writer offers an intuitive interface for managing, reviewing, and printing document comments. You can easily print your document alongside its markup to keep track of important feedback.

1. Open Your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document containing the comments you want to review and print.
2. Review the Comments: Navigate to the 'Review' tab on the top ribbon to ensure all comments and markups are displayed correctly in the margins.
3. Access Print Settings: Click on the main 'Menu' at the top left corner and select 'Print', or simply press 'Ctrl + P'.
4. Print with Markups: In the Print dialog box, find the 'Print what' dropdown menu. Select 'Document and markups', then click 'OK' to print your text with the comment balloons included.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx) comment and markup formats.Clear, easy-to-navigate Review tab for managing track changes and collaborative feedback.Free and lightweight alternative to heavy office suites, ensuring smooth performance.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Word truncate author names in printed comments?

Word's default print layout is designed to minimize the space used by margin balloons to prevent the main document text from shrinking excessively. As a result, it often abbreviates long author names and hides the exact creation timestamp.

Can I print just the comments without the main document text?

Yes. In the Word Print dialog, you can select 'List of markups' under the 'Print what' settings. This prints a list of revisions and comments, though it may still lack full timestamp details without using the VBA macro method.

Does running this VBA macro alter or damage my original document?

No, the macro is completely safe for your original file. It merely reads the comment data from your active document and writes that information into an entirely new, separate Word document.

How do I enable the Developer tab to run the macro?

Right-click anywhere on the top ribbon in Word, select 'Customize the Ribbon', and check the box next to 'Developer' in the right-hand list. Click OK, and the tab will appear in your top menu.

Document & File Issues