If you’re working on a document with tracked changes or collaboration notes, knowing how to hide comments in Word is essential for distraction-free reading or clean printing. Microsoft Word displays comments in the margin (balloons), which can be visually overwhelming—especially during presentations or final reviews. Whether you’re using Windows, macOS, or Ubuntu, this guide shows you how to quickly hide comments using toolbar options and shortcuts.
💬 Why Hide Comments in Word?
Hiding comments is helpful when you:
- Want a clean reading experience
- Need to print a clean version without annotations
- Prepare a document for external review
- Work in full-screen mode without sidebar distractions
Note: Hiding comments does not delete them—they’re still there and can be made visible anytime.
🪟 How to Hide Comments in Word on Windows
✅ Method 1: Using the Review Tab
- Click on the Review tab
- In the Tracking group, click the dropdown next to Display for Review
- Choose Simple Markup or No Markup
This hides comment balloons from view.
✅ Method 2: Hide Comments Only
- In the Review tab, click Show Markup
- Uncheck Comments
This hides comments but still shows tracked changes if selected.
✅ Shortcut Tip for Windows
While there’s no direct one-key shortcut for hiding comments, you can quickly navigate:
- Alt + R + T + C → toggles the Comments checkbox
- Or use Alt + R, then arrow down and Space to uncheck Comments
💡 You can also customize your own shortcut via File > Options > Customize Ribbon > Keyboard Shortcuts.
🍏 How to Hide Comments in Word on macOS
✅ Method 1: Menu Navigation
- Go to the Review tab
- Click on the Display for Review dropdown
- Choose Simple Markup or No Markup
✅ Method 2: Toggle Comments Only
- Click Review > Show Markup
- Uncheck Comments
This keeps tracked changes visible but hides comments.
✅ Keyboard Shortcut on macOS
- Press Command + Shift + E to toggle Track Changes
- Then manually go to Review > Show Markup > Comments to hide them
🔐 Note: macOS doesn’t offer a built-in one-step shortcut to hide comments, but menu navigation is fast.
🐧 How to Hide Comments in Word on Ubuntu
Ubuntu users often use:
- LibreOffice Writer
- Microsoft Word Online
✅ LibreOffice Writer Method
- Go to Edit > Changes > Comments
- Uncheck Show Comments
Or:
- Go to View > Comments and toggle visibility
📌 LibreOffice stores comments as margin notes, just like Word.
✅ Microsoft Word Online
- Click the Review tab
- Select Show Comments > Toggle OFF
- Alternatively, select Viewing Mode > Simple Markup or No Markup
✅ Works in browsers on all systems including Ubuntu.
📋 Quick Reference: Hide Comments in Word – Shortcuts & Steps
| Platform | Method | Shortcut or Steps |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Review > Show Markup | Alt + R + T + C or uncheck “Comments” |
| Windows | Display for Review | Alt + R → Use dropdown to select No Markup |
| macOS | Menu Navigation | Review > Show Markup > Uncheck “Comments” |
| macOS | Toggle Track Changes | Cmd + Shift + E (Track Changes ON/OFF only) |
| Ubuntu | LibreOffice Writer | View > Comments or Edit > Changes > Comments |
| Ubuntu | Word Online | Review > Show Comments → Toggle Off |
🖨️ Want to Print Without Comments?
- Go to File > Print
- Click Print All Pages > Print Markup
- Uncheck Print Markup to print a clean version
🧠 This works on Windows, macOS, and Word Online.
❓ FAQ – Hide Comments in Microsoft Word
Do comments get deleted when I hide them?
No, hiding comments only makes them invisible temporarily. You can show them again anytime.
Can I hide comments for only specific users?
Yes. Under Review > Show Markup > Specific People, you can choose whose comments appear.
How do I remove comments permanently?
Right-click the comment and select Delete Comment or use Review > Delete > Delete All Comments.
Does hiding comments affect tracked changes?
No. You can hide just the comments while still viewing insertions/deletions.
Will hidden comments appear in PDF exports?
Only if Print Markup is checked. To exclude them, uncheck it in the print settings.
✅ Conclusion
Hiding comments in Microsoft Word is a powerful feature that enhances focus and prepares your document for clean reading, presenting, or printing. Whether you’re on Windows, macOS, or Ubuntu, you can easily manage visibility with Review > Show Markup or quick navigation shortcuts. And don’t worry—your comments are still safe, just hidden from view until you need them.
Complete List of Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
If you need help for Windows, you can find a whole list of all keyboard shortcuts here.
https://keyboard-shortcuts.org/
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