File Sharing Problems

How to Stop Comment Email Notifications in Shared Word Documents

Steve K Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to stop receiving email notifications when someone adds a comment or uses an @mention in a shared Word document.

How to Stop Comment Email Notifications in Shared Word Documents

Product: Microsoft Word / Microsoft Teams
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Collaborating on a shared Word document via Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, or OneDrive.
Observed behavior: Email notifications are automatically sent to the document author or owner whenever a new comment is added or they are @mentioned.

Before you start

Verify your permission level on the shared document and identify where the file is hosted (OneDrive, SharePoint, or Teams), as notification settings must be adjusted on the specific hosting platform.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable Email Notifications in OneDrive or SharePoint Settings

Turn off the default setting that sends an email notification to the document owner whenever others comment on shared files.

By default, Microsoft 365 sends an email to the file owner when someone comments on a document hosted in OneDrive or SharePoint. You can disable this global setting directly from your OneDrive online portal.

Log into OneDrive on the Web

Open your web browser, navigate to your Microsoft 365 portal, and open OneDrive or the SharePoint site where the document is stored.

Access Notification Settings

Click the Gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner of the screen, then click on 'OneDrive settings' or 'Site settings'.

Turn Off Comment Notifications

Select 'Notifications' from the left sidebar menu. Locate the option labeled 'Email notification when others comment on my documents' and toggle it to the 'Off' position.

Disable Email Notifications in OneDrive or SharePoint Settings

Note about @Mentions: This setting prevents general comment notifications, but if a collaborator specifically types '@[Your Name]' in a comment, Microsoft 365 will still send an automated alert. You may need to ask colleagues to avoid using @mentions if you want zero emails.

Solution 2

Adjust Microsoft Teams Channel Notification Settings

If the document is shared and actively discussed within a Teams channel, you can mute the channel notifications to reduce alert spam.

Solution 3

Create an Email Rule in Outlook to Filter Comment Alerts

Set up an inbox rule in Outlook to automatically move Microsoft 365 comment notifications into a separate folder or directly to the trash.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I turn off @mention emails completely in Microsoft Word?

Microsoft 365 automatically sends an email notification when you are @mentioned to ensure you don't miss direct tasks. Currently, there is no global toggle to disable @mention emails across all files. To stop them, you either need to ask collaborators to stop using the @ symbol or create an Outlook rule to auto-filter those emails.

Why do I receive emails for comments on my document?

By default, OneDrive and SharePoint send daily summary notifications or instant alerts to the document owner when someone adds a comment. This is a built-in feature designed to keep you updated on collaboration activities.

Does turning off comment emails affect my team's ability to see comments in Word?

No, turning off email notifications only stops the inbox alerts. The comments will remain intact within the document itself, and all collaborators will still be able to see and reply to them when they open the shared Word file.

Document & File Issues