'%3e%3cpath%20d='M8%200C12.4183%200%2016%203.58172%2016%208C16%2012.4183%2012.4183%2016%208%2016C3.58172%2016%200%2012.4183%200%208C0%203.58172%203.58172%200%208%200ZM11.6162%204.38379C11.2257%203.99337%2010.5927%203.99338%2010.2021%204.38379L8%206.58594L5.79785%204.38379C5.40732%203.99334%204.77429%203.99329%204.38379%204.38379C3.99331%204.77429%203.99335%205.40733%204.38379%205.79785L6.58594%208L4.38379%2010.2021C3.99348%2010.5927%203.99341%2011.2257%204.38379%2011.6162C4.77426%2012.0066%205.40734%2012.0065%205.79785%2011.6162L8%209.41406L10.2021%2011.6162C10.5927%2012.0066%2011.2257%2012.0067%2011.6162%2011.6162C12.0067%2011.2257%2012.0066%2010.5927%2011.6162%2010.2021L9.41406%208L11.6162%205.79785C12.0066%205.40735%2012.0066%204.77429%2011.6162%204.38379Z'%20fill='%23080E17'%20fill-opacity='0.46'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_3761_713'%3e%3crect%20width='16'%20height='16'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
How to Stop Word Comment Email Notifications to Document Authors
Question details
The user wants to prevent document authors from receiving automatic email notifications that contain the text of comments left by editors.
- Product
- Microsoft Word / SharePoint Online
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Providing feedback, reviewing, and adding comments to a shared document in Microsoft Word.
- Observed behavior
- The document author automatically receives email notifications containing the text of the comments left by the editor.
You will need Microsoft 365 administrator privileges and the SharePoint Online Management Shell installed to run the necessary PowerShell commands.
Disable Comment Text in Emails via SharePoint Online PowerShell
Use a SharePoint Online PowerShell command to stop comment text from being included in email notifications across your Microsoft 365 tenant.
Because there is no straightforward setting in the SharePoint web interface or the Microsoft Word application to toggle these emails, administrators must use SharePoint Online PowerShell to change this configuration globally.
Launch the SharePoint Online Management Shell as an administrator on your computer.
Run the command 'Connect-SPOService -Url https://[yourtenant]-admin.sharepoint.com' and log in with your global administrator credentials.
Execute the command 'Set-SPOTenant -AllowCommentsTextOnEmailEnabled:$false' to turn off comment emails.
Collaborate Seamlessly with WPS Office
If managing complex Microsoft 365 admin settings like SharePoint PowerShell commands is too cumbersome, consider switching to WPS Office. It provides a lightweight, highly compatible alternative for document collaboration without the complex administrative overhead.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office suite for your device.
- 2. Open your document: Launch WPS Writer and open your existing Word (.docx) files seamlessly.
- 3. Add comments easily: Navigate to the Review tab to insert comments and collaborate directly within the document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I disable Word comment emails without administrator rights?
No, standard users cannot disable these automatic comment notifications globally. You must contact your Microsoft 365 administrator to run the required SharePoint PowerShell command.
Is there a setting in the Word desktop app to stop comment emails?
No, the email notifications are handled by SharePoint Online and OneDrive on the backend, not the local Word desktop application, so there is no toggle within the Word app's options menu.
Will disabling this setting affect other file activity alerts?
The specific command 'Set-SPOTenant -AllowCommentsTextOnEmailEnabled:$false' only removes the comment text from the email notifications. Users may still receive standard file activity alerts if they have set up separate alert policies in SharePoint.
