Microsoft Word’s commenting feature makes collaboration much easier by allowing reviewers to leave suggestions, corrections, and feedback without changing the original content. When it’s time to review those comments offline or share them during a meeting, you may not need to print the entire document. Fortunately, Word includes options that let you print only the comments or markup, saving both paper and ink.
This guide explains the different ways to print comments in Microsoft Word and how to customize the output for easier review.
Why Print Comments Only?
Printing only the comments is useful when the document itself doesn’t need to be reviewed again. Instead of printing dozens of pages, you can generate a concise list containing reviewer feedback.
This is especially helpful for:
- Reviewing edits during meetings
- Proofreading documents
- Sharing reviewer feedback
- Tracking suggested changes
- Keeping printed revision notes
Using this option also reduces unnecessary printing.
Method 1: Print a List of Comments
Microsoft Word can generate a separate list containing comments and tracked changes.
To do this:
- Open your Word document.
- Select File > Print.
- Open the first Settings drop-down menu.
- Choose List of Markup if it’s available.
- Click Print.
Instead of printing the document pages, Word creates a printout containing the comments and revision information.
Method 2: Print the Document With Comments
If you prefer seeing comments alongside the document:
- Open File > Print.
- Under Settings, enable Print Markup.
- Review the print preview.
- Select Print.
Word prints the document together with comments and tracked changes, making it easier to understand feedback in context.
Show Comments Before Printing
If comments don’t appear in your document:
- Open the Review tab.
- Select Show Markup.
- Make sure Comments is enabled.
- Switch to All Markup if necessary.
This ensures every comment is included in the print settings.
Print Comments From Specific Reviewers
Large documents often contain comments from several people.
Word lets you filter visible comments before printing by selecting specific reviewers under the markup options. Once only the desired comments are displayed, print the document or markup list as usual.
This makes it easier to review feedback from one editor at a time.
Save Comments as a PDF
Instead of using paper, you can create a PDF containing only the comments.
Simply choose Microsoft Print to PDF (or another PDF printer) instead of your physical printer when printing the markup list.
The resulting PDF can be shared by email or stored for future reference.
Common Printing Problems
If comments don’t print correctly, check these items:
- Verify Print Markup is enabled.
- Confirm comments are visible in Review mode.
- Update Microsoft Word to the latest version.
- Make sure you’re using the desktop version of Word, as Word for the web has more limited printing features.
A quick print preview can usually reveal whether comments will appear before printing begins.
Tips for Better Comment Reviews
To make printed comments easier to read:
- Review the print preview first.
- Hide unnecessary markup.
- Filter comments by reviewer.
- Print to PDF before making physical copies.
- Keep the original document unchanged while reviewing feedback.
These simple practices help organize comments without affecting the original document.
