Comments are the fastest way to give feedback without changing the document itself
A comment in Google Docs is a note attached to a specific word or sentence that the document owner can see, respond to, and resolve. Unlike tracked changes in Microsoft Word, comments don't alter the text — they sit in a sidebar and let multiple people discuss edits before anyone makes them. You can add a comment in three clicks, and the person who wrote the document gets a notification right away.
Comments work the same way whether you're on a computer or phone, and they stay with the document even after you close it. This makes them useful for homework feedback, work reviews, or any situation where you want to suggest something without making the change yourself.
Key Takeaways
- Select the text you want to comment on, click the comment button in the toolbar, and type your note — the document owner will see it when ready.
- Comments appear in a sidebar and don't change the actual document text, so the original author keeps full control over what gets edited.
- You can reply to other people's comments, mark comments as resolved, and delete your own comments at any time.
- The document owner can turn off commenting if they want to lock the document, and they can delete any comment on the page.
How to add your first comment
Open the Google Doc and find the word or sentence you want to comment on. Click and drag to select that text — even a single word works. You'll see a toolbar appear above your selection with formatting options like bold and italic.
Look for the comment button in that toolbar. It looks like a speech bubble with lines in it. Click it, and a text box will open on the right side of the screen. Type your comment — you can write as much or as little as you need. When you're done, click the "Comment" button at the bottom of the box. The comment is now live, and the document owner will get a notification.
What happens after you post a comment
Your comment appears in the sidebar with your name, the date, and the text you commented on highlighted in yellow. The document owner can see it right away if they have the document open. If they don't, they'll get an email notification with your comment and a link to the document.
The document owner can reply to your comment by clicking the reply box at the bottom of your comment. You'll both see the conversation thread grow as you go back and forth. Either of you can mark the comment as resolved by clicking the checkmark icon — this collapses the comment but keeps it visible if someone wants to reopen it later.
Replying to comments and keeping conversations organized
When someone comments on your document, you'll see a small notification badge on the comment icon in the toolbar. Click it to jump to that comment. You can reply directly in the comment thread without selecting any new text — just click the reply box and type your response.
If a comment is resolved, you can still reopen it by clicking the checkmark again. This is useful if you want to revisit a suggestion or if the conversation isn't actually finished. Only the person who posted the comment or the document owner can delete it entirely.
Turning comments on and off
The document owner controls whether people can comment at all. If you try to comment and nothing happens, the owner has likely turned off commenting. They can do this by clicking the "Share" button, then changing the permission from "Commenter" or "Editor" to "Viewer" for that person.
The owner can also lock the entire document to commenting by going to File > Protect documents and turning on protection. This is useful when a document is final and you don't want any more feedback. The owner can always turn commenting back on later.
Comments on mobile devices
The Google Docs app on iPhone and Android works the same way as the web version. Select your text, tap the comment button (it's in the toolbar at the bottom of the screen), and type your note. Comments appear in a sidebar on mobile too, though the layout is narrower.
One difference: on mobile, you may need to scroll to see the comment sidebar after you post. Tap the comment icon again to bring it into view. Everything else — replying, resolving, deleting — works identically to the computer version.
When comments are better than tracked changes
Comments are lighter weight than Word's tracked changes. If you're giving feedback on a first draft and you want the author to decide what to keep, comments let them see your suggestion without the document getting cluttered with strikethrough and insertions. The author can read your comment, decide whether to act on it, and then make the change themselves if they agree.
Comments also work better when multiple people are giving feedback at once. Each person's comment sits in its own thread, so you can see who said what and when. With tracked changes, overlapping edits from different people can become hard to untangle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I comment on a Google Doc if I don't have edit permission?
Yes. The document owner can give you "Commenter" permission, which lets you add and reply to comments but not change the text. This is useful for feedback on documents you shouldn't edit directly, like a manager's draft or a shared template.
What if I want to delete a comment I posted?
Click the three dots at the top right of your comment and select "Delete". Only you and the document owner can delete comments — other commenters can't remove your feedback. If the owner deletes a comment, it's gone for everyone.
Do comments stay in the document if I read it as a Word file?
No. When you read a Google Doc as a .docx file, comments don't transfer over. If you need feedback preserved in a Word file, ask people to use Word's tracked changes instead, or keep the Google Doc version as your master copy.
Can I see all comments in one place, or do I have to scroll through the document?
Click the comment icon in the toolbar and select "All comments" to see a list of every comment in the document. You can also search for comments by clicking the search icon and typing a keyword. This is faster than scrolling if the document is long.
What if someone comments on my document but I don't want to respond?
You can mark their comment as resolved without replying. This signals that you've seen it and decided not to act on it. The comment stays visible in the sidebar, so they can see that you read it. You can always reopen it later if you change your mind.