Printing Problems

How to Print Word Comments with Dates and Times

Guest Writer Oct 10, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to print a Microsoft Word document's comments along with their corresponding creation dates and times.

How to Print Word Comments with Dates and Times

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Preparing a document for print where tracking exact feedback timelines and review history is necessary.
Observed behavior: By default, Word may not always print comment timestamps in the standard print layout, requiring a workaround to explicitly include dates and times.

Before you start

Ensure your document has tracked changes and comments visible. Check your current print preview settings to see if timestamps are already being displayed in your specific version of Word.

Solution 1Recommended

Print by Copying from the Reviewing Pane

The most straightforward workaround is to extract the comments via the Reviewing Pane and copy them into a new document for printing.

Because Word prioritizes the main document text in the standard layout, margin comments often omit the time to save space. Extracting them to a blank document ensures all metadata is preserved.

Open the Reviewing Pane

Open your Word document and go to the 'Review' tab on the ribbon. Click on 'Reviewing Pane' in the Tracking group to display all comments and revisions vertically.

Copy the Comments

Select all the text within the Reviewing Pane, right-click your selection, and choose 'Copy' (or press Ctrl + C).

Paste into a New Document

Open a new blank Word document. Right-click and 'Paste' (or press Ctrl + V) the copied content into the document.

Print the Document

Go to 'File' > 'Print' to print this newly created document. It will now list all the comments along with their respective dates and times.

Print by Copying from the Reviewing Pane

Formatting Tip: You can format this new document like any standard Word file, adjusting margins and fonts to make the comments easier to read before printing.

Solution 2

Extract Comments with Timestamps using VBA

For advanced users, a VBA script can automatically pull all comments, authors, and exact timestamps into a new document.

Seamless Document Review

Easily Manage and Print Document Markup with WPS Writer

WPS Office Writer provides a seamless and intuitive way to manage document feedback. You can easily view, manage, and print documents with their tracked changes and comments clearly visible.

1. Open Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your document containing the comments.
2. Show Markup: Navigate to the 'Review' tab and ensure the 'Show Comments' setting is toggled on.
3. Access Print Settings: Go to 'Menu' > 'Print' or simply press 'Ctrl + P'.
4. Print Document and Markups: In the Print dialog, select 'Document and markups' under the 'Print what' dropdown menu.
5. Execute Print: Click 'Print' to output your document with the feedback included.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) formatsClear and intuitive Review tab for managing comments and track changesFree, lightweight, and fast office suite for daily document tasks

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't Word print the comment dates by default?

Depending on the print layout and version, Word prioritizes the main document text and truncates metadata like times to save space in the margins. Extracting the comments to a separate document bypasses this limitation.

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

Yes. By copying the contents of the Reviewing Pane into a new blank document, you can print exclusively the feedback, authors, and timestamps without the original document text.

Are there third-party add-ins to print Word comments?

Yes, there are several third-party add-ins available for Microsoft Office that specialize in extracting and formatting document comments, including dates and times, for professional printing and archiving.

Document & File Issues