Is there a way to disable Modern Comments in Word for Mac?

Anonymous
2021-12-29T08:36:43+00:00

Is there a way to disable Modern Comments in Word for Mac and never to the classic commenting format?

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For business | MacOS

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Anonymous
2021-12-29T10:06:32+00:00

Hello, Camille

Confirm if I understand you want to disable modern comments on Word for Mac.

To disable modern comments, follow these steps.

  • Open Word and click on the Word in the menu on the top of the screen.
  • Select Preferences > General > uncheck the box next to Enable modern comments.
  • Restart Word application.

Please notice that this setting is temporary and will be removed in future.

I hope I could help you to disable modern comments. Feel free to post back to us if you have any questions.

Best Regards,

Igor

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Stefan Blom 353.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
2022-03-08T13:10:13+00:00

Note that contributors in this user-to-user forum can't make decisions on behalf of Microsoft.

To let Microsoft know that you do not like the modern comments, post feedback from within Word. See https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/how-do-i-give-feedback-on-microsoft-office-2b102d44-b43f-4dd2-9ff4-23cf144cfb11#platform=macOS.

EDIT: Some versions of Word will let you revert to the classic comments. Use the "Enable modern comments" check box. (It has been reported in the TechCommunity at https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/word/bd-p/Word that perpetual licenses of Word may have the modern comments but not the option to turn them off.)

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Anonymous
2022-04-29T22:43:55+00:00

I use Word on a Mac. The instructions for disabling Modern Comments are different for PC and Mac. Here they are for Mac. I found these by Googling "How to disable Modern Comments." The instructions for PCs are equally easy to follow. My understanding is that the ability is temporary and that MS is going to make modern comments the normal. We must complain and fight to keep classic comments.

To disable modern comments, follow these steps.

  • Open Word and click on the Word in the menu on the top of the screen.
  • Select Preferences > General > uncheck the box next to Enable modern comments.
  • Restart Word application.

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  1. Anonymous
    2022-08-30T05:54:24+00:00

    Thank you SO much Stefan. IMHO 'modern' comments is the worst 'improvement' I have ever seen to any software application. I just had an appallingly messed up Zoom meeting trying to work through a draft contract with a business partners and the modern comments were a disaster. The way they float around and you're never sure which text goes with which comment is atrocious, so I was so relieved to see your post and to be able to revert to classic comments. Thank you again!

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  2. Stefan Blom 353.7K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2022-08-15T18:52:46+00:00

    I am trying to disable modern comments and all the instructions are not available to me in the word program I have for my MacBook Pro.

    How do I disable this feature?

    I have gone to General and there is NOTHING with a box next to MODERN COMMENTS.

    Also, I didn't have this problem a month ago, but now I see that I may not be able to disable modern comments based on another comment:

    "To disable modern comments, follow these steps.

    • Open Word and click on the Word in the menu on the top of the screen.
    • Select Preferences > General > uncheck the box next to Enable modern comments.
    • Restart Word application.

     

    Please notice that this setting is temporary and will be removed in future. DOES THIS MEAN I CAN'T DISABLE THE MODERN COMMENTS NOW AS OF AUGUST 15, 2022???? I HATE THEM.

    I hope I could help you to disable modern comments. Feel free to post back to us if you have any questions.

     

    Apparently, whether the option is present depends on which version of Office you are using. Perpetual licenses (such as Office 2021) may have the modern comments and at the same time they lack the option to revert to the older comments interface. (I learned this important distinction in the TechCommunity forum.) :-(

    Post feedback for Microsoft; for instructions, see https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/how-do-i-give-feedback-on-microsoft-office-2b102d44-b43f-4dd2-9ff4-23cf144cfb11#platform=macOS.

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