Delete all comments at once using the Review tab

The fastest way to remove every comment from your document is through Word's Review tab. Open your document, click the Review tab at the top of the window, then look for the Delete button in the Comments section. Click the small arrow next to it and select Delete All Comments in Document. Word removes every comment when ready — there is no undo after this point, so make sure you want them gone before you click.

This method works the same way in Word for Windows and Word for Mac. The button location is identical, and the result is permanent. If you have tracked changes turned on alongside comments, deleting comments does not affect those tracked changes — they remain in your document.

Key Takeaways

  • The Review tab contains a Delete button with a dropdown menu that lets you remove all comments in one action.
  • Deleting all comments is permanent and cannot be undone, so verify you want them gone before clicking.
  • You can delete individual comments by right-clicking them and selecting Delete, if you only want to remove some.
  • Comments and tracked changes are separate — deleting comments leaves your tracked changes untouched.
  • Word for Mac uses the same Review tab method, though the menu layout may look slightly different.

Delete individual comments if you want to keep some

If you only want to remove certain comments rather than all of them, right-click directly on the comment text in the margin of your document. A small menu appears with a Delete option at the top. Click it and that single comment disappears. This approach takes longer if you have many comments, but it lets you keep the ones that matter.

You can also click inside a comment bubble and use the keyboard shortcut Delete or Backspace to remove it. Some readers find this easier than right-clicking, especially if they are already reviewing comments one by one.

Find comments before you delete them

Word has a Comments pane that shows every comment in your document in one list. Open it by clicking the Review tab, then clicking Show Comments (or Comments on Mac). A panel opens on the right side of your screen displaying every comment, who made it, and when. This view helps you see what you are about to delete and decide which ones to keep.

The Comments pane also lets you navigate between comments using arrow buttons. This is useful if your document is long and comments are scattered throughout — you can jump from one to the next without scrolling manually. Once you have reviewed them all and decided to delete, you can go back to the Review tab and use the Delete All option.

Understand what happens to tracked changes when you delete comments

Comments and tracked changes are two separate features in Word. Deleting all comments removes only the comment bubbles and their text — it does not affect any insertions, deletions, or formatting changes that are marked as tracked. If someone has both commented on a section and tracked a change there, deleting the comment leaves the tracked change in place.

This distinction matters if your document is under review by multiple people. You might want to delete comments that have been resolved while keeping the tracked changes so the document history remains clear. The two features work independently, so you have full control over what stays and what goes.

Save your document after deleting comments

After you delete comments, Word does not automatically save your changes. Click File and then Save, or use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+S (Windows) or Command+S (Mac). If you close the document without saving, Word will ask whether you want to keep your changes. Clicking Don't Save means the comments remain in the file.

If you are working on a shared document through OneDrive or SharePoint, Word may save automatically depending on your settings. Even so, it is good practice to manually save after deleting comments so you know the change is recorded. This is especially important if other people are working on the same file — they will see the comments disappear once you save and they refresh their view.

Remove comments from a document before sharing it

Before you send a document to someone outside your organization, check whether it contains comments you do not want them to see. Comments can include internal notes, feedback, or information you meant only for your team. Open the Comments pane, review what is there, and delete anything sensitive or unnecessary before you share the file.

Word also has an Inspector tool that finds hidden content like comments, tracked changes, and metadata. To use it, click File, then Info, then Check for Issues, then Inspect Document. The Inspector shows you everything hidden in the file and gives you the option to remove it all at once. This is a good final check before sharing, because it catches things you might have missed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I undo deleting all comments?

No. Once you delete all comments and save the document, they are gone permanently. Word's undo function works only if you have not closed the document yet. If you close and reopen the file, the undo history is lost. Always review what you are deleting before you click the button.

What if I delete comments by accident?

If you have not saved the document, press Ctrl+Z (Windows) or Command+Z (Mac) when ready to undo. If you have already saved, the comments cannot be recovered from the file itself. If the document is stored on OneDrive or SharePoint, you may be able to restore an earlier version through the version history feature, but this depends on your organization's settings.

Do I have to delete all comments at once, or can I delete them gradually?

You can do either. Right-click individual comments to delete them one at a time, or use the Delete All option to remove everything at once. There is no penalty for deleting gradually — you can delete some comments today and others tomorrow. Just remember to save after each session so your changes are recorded.

Will deleting comments affect the document's formatting or text?

No. Comments exist in a separate layer from your actual document text and formatting. Deleting them changes nothing about the words, layout, fonts, or structure of your document. The only thing that disappears is the comment bubbles themselves.

How do I delete comments from a document I received from someone else?

The process is identical. Open the document, go to the Review tab, and click the Delete button dropdown to select Delete All Comments in Document. You do not need permission from the person who created the comments — you can delete them from any document you can open and edit.