Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 24, 2023)
This tip applies to Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365
Excel allows you to add comments to the cells in your workbook. At some point you may want to view your comments. Simply follow these steps:
Figure 1. The advanced options of the Excel Options dialog box.
There are three possible settings for comments (see step 4). The three radio buttons are as follows:
The exact names of these options will vary, depending on your version of Excel. This is because in approximately early 2022 Microsoft added the concept of threaded comments and renamed the older comments as notes. Thus, if the three options don't refer to notes, then you know you are using a version of Excel that doesn't support the newer threaded comments.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (6251) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Excel in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Viewing Comments.
Best-Selling VBA Tutorial for Beginners Take your Excel knowledge to the next level. With a little background in VBA programming, you can go well beyond basic spreadsheets and functions. Use macros to reduce errors, save time, and integrate with other Microsoft applications. Fully updated for the latest version of Office 365. Check out Microsoft 365 Excel VBA Programming For Dummies today!
One of the pieces of information that Excel can maintain relative to a workbook is a set of comments of your choice. ...
Discover MoreOne way that you can view comments in a worksheet is to have them appear when you hover the mouse pointer over a cell. If ...
Discover MoreWhen you print your worksheet, you may want Excel to include your comments or notes as they appear on the screen. Here's ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2023-10-26 15:22:46
J. Woolley
@Selie
My Excel Toolbox includes the CommentDisplayMode macro to cycle through the three comment display mode options (none, indicator only, indicator and unthreaded comment). The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl+T C D.
Here is an abbreviated version:
Sub CommentDisplayMode()
With Application
.DisplayCommentIndicator = Choose((.DisplayCommentIndicator + 2), _
xlCommentAndIndicator, xlCommentIndicatorOnly, xlNoIndicator)
End With
End Sub
And see https://sites.google.com/view/MyExcelToolbox
2023-10-25 15:35:35
Selie
Why is there no option to have "indicators Only, nothing on hover"?
I do need to know what cells in my sheet have a comment, so having an indicator there is great!
The constant accidental popups however when I am actively formatting my work is driving me nuts!
it seems like a logical next step in the line of options too, its just strange that the option isn't there.
2023-06-24 10:03:57
J. Woolley
Click Alt+R+T+T to view each comment (note) on a worksheet one at a time.
Click Alt+R+T+S to view all comments (notes) on the worksheet.
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments