How to Fix Right-to-Left Comments and Punctuation in Word for Mac
Question details
The user needs to correct the text direction and punctuation placement in Word comments that are incorrectly formatting right-to-left.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- macOS
- Scenario
- Reviewing a document and adding comments in English, but the comment balloons inherit right-to-left language formatting.
- Observed behavior
- Comment text flows right-to-left and punctuation marks appear on the wrong side of the sentence, despite the main document body using US English.
Verify your macOS keyboard input sources in System Preferences to ensure a right-to-left language (like Hebrew or Arabic) is not accidentally selected as the active input method.
Adjust Proofing Language and Paragraph Direction
Manually reset the proofing language and text direction specifically within the comment balloons.
Comments in Word use a distinct style layout that can inherit different language properties than the main document body. Adjusting the text direction solely in the main document will not affect existing comment balloons.
Click inside the problematic comment balloon and highlight all the text.
Navigate to the 'Tools' menu in the top macOS menu bar, select 'Language', choose 'English (US)' from the list, and click 'OK'.
Go to the 'Home' tab on the ribbon, locate the Paragraph group, and click the 'Left-to-Right Text Direction' icon to correct the punctuation placement.
Use a VBA Macro to Reset All Comments
Apply a macro to force a left-to-right paragraph direction across all comments in the document instantly.
Try WPS Office for Mac for a Bug-Free Commenting Experience
If you are tired of battling complex language inheritance bugs and formatting glitches in Microsoft Word for Mac, WPS Office provides a seamless, highly compatible alternative for document review and editing.
- 1. Install WPS Office: Download and install WPS Office for Mac from the official website.
- 2. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing .docx file directly.
- 3. Review seamlessly: Add, edit, and reply to comments without worrying about punctuation misplacement or text direction errors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my Word comments suddenly type right-to-left?
This usually happens when the document's internal styles inherit settings from a right-to-left language like Hebrew or Arabic. This can be triggered by pasting text from external sources or macOS keyboard input glitches.
Does changing the document language fix the comment punctuation?
Not always. Word treats comments as a separate style layer ('Comment Text'). You must specifically target the comment bubbles to modify their paragraph direction and language settings to fix punctuation placement.
Can I permanently change the default comment text direction in Word for Mac?
Yes. Open the Styles Pane, locate the 'Comment Text' style, click 'Modify', navigate to the paragraph formatting options, ensure it is set to left-to-right, and choose to apply this to the current template.
