Table of Contents

Insert a Comment

The Spreadsheet allows you to attach notes to individual cells by using comments. Comments are extremely useful when you need to provide additional information, such as reminders, notifications, or feedback in a document without modifying cell content.

Comments are displayed in a yellow box anchored to a cell. A cell containing a comment has a red triangular indicator in the corner.

SpreadsheetControl_CommentCommonAppearance

You can add new comments, edit existing comments, copy comments to other cells, move and resize the comment box, hide or delete comments if they are no longer needed.

Add a Comment

To insert a new comment, select the cell where you wish to place the comment, and do one of the following.

  • On the Review tab, in the Comments group, click the New Comment button.

    Spreadsheet_InsertComment

  • Right-click the cell and select the Insert Comment item in the context menu.

    Spreadsheet_InsertCommentContextMenu

  • Press SHIFT+F2.

The new comment will be anchored to the cell. Type the desired text within the comment box. By default, the comment is accompanied by the user name of the person who created the comment. If you wish to change the default name, delete it and type a new name.

Edit a Comment

  1. Select the cell that contains the comment you wish to edit.
  2. Do one of the following.
    • On the Review tab, in the Comments group, click the Edit Comment button...

      Spreadsheet_EditComment

      ... or right-click the cell and select the Edit Comment item in the context menu.

      The comment will be activated and the cursor will be positioned within the comment box. Change the comment text as needed.

    • Click inside the comment box, and start editing the comment text.

      Tip

      If the comment is hidden, click the Show/Hide Comment button to display the comment.

Copy Comments Only

  1. Select the cell(s) containing the comment(s) you wish to copy.

  2. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click Copy, or press CTRL+C.

  3. Select the top-left cell of the destination area where you wish to insert the copied comment(s).

  4. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click the Paste Special button, or press CTRL+ALT+V.

    PasteSpecialCommand.png

  5. In the invoked Paste Special dialog, click Comments, and then click OK.

    Spreadsheet_PasteSpecialComments

Move and Resize a Comment

  1. Select the cell that contains the comment you wish to move or resize.

    Tip

    If the comment is hidden, click the Show/Hide Comment button to display the comment.

  2. Click the comment box border to display the sizing handles (small rectangles at the corners and sides of the comment box).

  3. Do one of the following.

    • To move a comment, hover the mouse over the comment border so that the four-way resize arrow appears, and drag the comment to a new location.

      Spreadsheet_MoveComment

    • To resize a comment, click one of the sizing handles and drag the edge of the comment box.

      Spreadsheet_ResizeComment

Display or Hide a Comment

  1. Select the cell that contains the comment you wish to display or hide.
  2. Do one of the following.
    • On the Review tab, in the Comments group, click the Show/Hide Comment button.

      Spreadsheet_ShowHideComment

    • Right-click the cell and select the Show/Hide Comment item in the context menu.

Remove a Comment

To delete the existing comment, do the following.

  1. Select the cell that contains the comment you wish to delete.
  2. Do one of the following.
    • On the Review tab, in the Comments group, click the Delete button.

      Spreadsheet_DeleteComments

    • Right-click the cell and select the Delete Comment item in the context menu.