Office Settings & Configuration

How to Disable Modern Comments in Word 2021 via Registry

Guest Writer Oct 9, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user is looking for a way to disable the modern comments feature and restore the classic comments interface in Microsoft Word 2021 or Microsoft 365 using a registry edit.

How to Disable Modern Comments in Word 2021 Using the Registry

Product: Microsoft Word 2021
Device & OS: Windows
Scenario: Modifying application registry settings to change the comment interface in Word back to the legacy layout.
Observed behavior: Word currently uses the new Modern Comments interface, which the user finds disruptive or unsuitable for their workflow, prompting them to seek a method to revert it.

Before you start

Before making any changes to the Windows Registry, ensure you create a backup of your registry or set a system restore point, as incorrect modifications can cause application or system instability.

Solution 1Recommended

Modify the Registry to Disable Modern Comments

Use the Windows Registry Editor to add or modify the DisableModernComments value to restore the classic comments layout.

This method requires navigating through the Windows Registry. Please note that this workaround is build-dependent and relies on Microsoft keeping the legacy comments code active in your specific version of Office. It has been reported to work in several Word 2021 builds (including version 2311) but may stop working in future updates if Microsoft removes the underlying code.

Open the Registry Editor

Press the Windows Key + R to open the Run dialog box. Type 'regedit' and press Enter. Click 'Yes' if prompted by User Account Control.

Navigate to the Word Options Key

In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Options.

Create or Modify the DisableModernComments Value

Look for a DWORD (32-bit) Value named 'DisableModernComments'. If it does not exist, right-click on an empty space in the right pane, select 'New' > 'DWORD (32-bit) Value', and name it 'DisableModernComments'.

Set the Value Data

Double-click on 'DisableModernComments'. Under Value data, enter '00003e9a' and click OK. This specific value instructs Word to revert to the legacy comments interface.

Restart Microsoft Word

Close the Registry Editor and completely exit out of Microsoft Word if it is running. Reopen Word to apply the changes and verify that classic comments are restored.

Modify the Registry to Disable Modern Comments

Re-enabling Modern Comments: If you wish to re-enable modern comments in the future, navigate back to the same registry path and change the value of DisableModernComments to 00000000.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why are classic comments no longer the default in Word?

Microsoft introduced modern comments to improve collaboration, allowing users to @mention others and post comments in a more chat-like interface. However, this redesign changed how comments anchor to text, which some users find distracting for standard offline editing.

Will this registry edit work for all versions of Microsoft Word?

No, this registry modification depends on the legacy comments code still being present in your specific build of Word 2021 or Microsoft 365. If Microsoft removes this legacy code in a future update, the registry fix will no longer be effective.

Can I use a .reg file to make this change automatically?

Yes. You can create a plain text file using Notepad, input the exact registry path and DWORD value instructions, and save it with a .reg extension. Double-clicking this file will automatically import the required settings into your Windows Registry.

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