The basic steps to add a comment
To add a comment in Google Docs, highlight the text you want to comment on, then click the comment button in the toolbar or press Ctrl+Alt+M (Windows) or Cmd+Option+M (Mac). A comment box will open on the right side of your document. Type your message and click "Comment" to post it.
You do not need to highlight text if you want to comment on a specific location in the document. Click where you want the comment to appear, then use the same keyboard shortcut or find the comment button in the toolbar. The comment will anchor to that spot even if text moves around later.
Comments are different from suggestions, which propose changes to the actual text. A comment is a note or question that sits alongside the document without changing what is written.
Key Takeaways
- Highlight text or click a location, then press Ctrl+Alt+M (Windows) or Cmd+Option+M (Mac) to open the comment box.
- Comments appear in a sidebar on the right and do not change the document text itself.
- You can @mention another person in a comment to notify them directly, and they will see it in their email if they have sharing access.
- The document owner or anyone with editing permission can delete comments, but only the person who wrote it can edit their own comment after posting.
- Resolving a comment hides it from the main view but keeps it in the document history if someone needs to find it later.
Where the comment button lives in the toolbar
Open any Google Doc and look at the top toolbar. On the right side, you will see a speech bubble icon with a plus sign inside it. That is the comment button. Click it to open a comment box at your cursor location. If you have already highlighted text, the comment will attach to that selection.
If you cannot see the comment button, your document may be in view-only mode, which means you do not have permission to add comments. The document owner or someone with editing access would need to change your permission level. You can check your permission by looking at the "Share" button in the top right corner — it will say "View only" if you cannot edit or comment.
How to mention someone in a comment
Type the @ symbol in your comment box, then start typing a person's name or email address. Google Docs will show a list of people who have access to the document. Click the name you want, and that person will be notified. They will see the comment in their email if they have sharing access to the document.
Mentioning someone does not give them access to the document if they do not already have it. It only sends them a notification about the comment. If you want someone to see the document itself, you need to share it with them separately using the Share button.
The difference between comments and suggestions
A comment is a note or question that floats in the sidebar. It does not change the text of the document. Use comments when you want to ask a question, give feedback, or start a conversation about a section.
A suggestion is a proposed change to the actual words in the document. When you make a suggestion, the text appears with a strikethrough and a colored highlight, and the document owner can accept or reject it. Use suggestions when you want to propose rewording, fixing a typo, or deleting a phrase.
To switch to suggestion mode, click the pencil icon in the toolbar (it looks like a pen tip), then select "Suggestion" from the dropdown. After that, any edits you make will show as suggestions instead of changing the document directly.
Replying to and resolving comments
When someone adds a comment, you can reply to it by clicking inside the comment box and typing your response. Your reply will appear below the original comment in a thread. This is useful for back-and-forth conversations about a specific part of the document.
To resolve a comment, click the checkmark icon at the top right of the comment box. A resolved comment disappears from the main view but stays in the document. You can see all resolved comments by clicking "All comments" in the comment menu on the right sidebar, then filtering to show resolved ones. This keeps your active comments clean while preserving the full conversation history.
Only the person who wrote the comment can edit it after posting. If you need to change something you said, click the three-dot menu on your comment and select "Edit". The document owner or anyone with editing permission can delete any comment.
Controlling who can see and comment
Comments are visible to anyone who has access to the document. If the document is shared with someone, they can see all comments and replies. If you remove someone's access to the document, they can no longer see the comments either.
You can change whether people can comment, suggest, or only view the document when you share it. Click the Share button in the top right, then look at the permission dropdown next to each person's name. The options are usually "Editor" (can edit and comment), "Commenter" (can only comment and suggest, not edit), or "Viewer" (can only see, no comments or edits).
What happens to comments when you read or print
If you read your Google Doc as a Word file (.docx) or PDF, comments do not transfer by default. The document text comes through, but the comments stay in Google Docs. If you need to share comments with someone who does not have access to the Google Doc, you will need to take screenshots or copy the comment text manually.
When you print a Google Doc, comments do not print either. Only the document text appears on the page. If you want a printed record of the comments, you can print to PDF from Google Docs, but the comments still will not show — you would need to screenshot them or export them separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I comment on a Google Doc if I only have view access?
No. View-only access means you cannot comment, suggest, or edit. The document owner or someone with editing permission would need to change your access level to "Commenter" or "Editor" before you can add comments. Ask the person who shared the document with you to update your permission.
What does it mean when a comment has a red exclamation mark?
A red exclamation mark usually means the comment is unresolved and may need a response. Some teams use this as a signal that action is required. Clicking the checkmark icon resolves the comment and removes the mark from the main view.
Can I delete someone else's comment?
Yes, if you have editing permission on the document. Click the three-dot menu on their comment and select "Delete". However, the person who wrote the comment can only edit their own comment, not delete it — only editors can delete comments from anyone.
Do comments stay in the document if I share it with someone new?
Yes. All comments and their full conversation history remain visible to anyone you share the document with, as long as they have at least "Commenter" or "Editor" access. Comments are part of the document, not separate from it.
Can I search for comments in a Google Doc?
Google Docs does not have a built-in search function for comments. You can see all comments by clicking the comment icon on the right sidebar, but you cannot search by keyword. If you need to find a specific comment, you will have to scroll through the list or use your browser's find function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) to search the visible comment text.