OmniDocHow to turn on and off the comment mode in Word
Word's comment mode is actually divided into two levels: recording modifications and displaying marks. This article explains the difference between the revision record switch and display mode, gives the steps to turn it on and off, and how to check that the file content has not been accidentally changed.
Key points of this article
- The revision history determines whether subsequent changes are marked, and the display mode only determines whether the mark is visible on the screen. The two must be set separately.
- If you want to keep the page clean but keep the marks, just set the display mode to hide all marks; the comments and revisions in the file will not disappear.
- Only by accepting, rejecting or deleting items one by one will the file content be truly changed or comments removed.
- Save a copy before switching and close the revision history before changing the text to avoid new modifications being mismarked.
Many people open Word documents sent by others, and the screen is full of red lines and bubbles, as if the content has been changed and messed up, so they want to put them away. There are also people who want to leave traces of modifications when editing, but don't know where the switch is. Readers who search for "how to turn off word annotation mode" mostly encounter these two situations.
In fact, the term "annotation mode" is mixed with several things: whether to record new modifications, whether to display revisions and comments, and whether to actually delete these contents. Once you understand these three things, you will know which switch to flip. This article explains the opening and closing methods according to this idea, and tells you how to check after operation.
After reading this article, you will be able to determine which operation you need, and you will also know how to confirm that the text has not been mistakenly modified after closing.
How to turn off comment mode? One sentence conclusion
Direct answer: If you want the page to look clean, set the display mode to hide all marks; if you want to stop recording new changes, close the revision history; if you want to completely remove existing content, process comments or revisions one by one.
| your situation | Recommended practices | reason |
|---|---|---|
| I only want to see the main text without changing the file content. | Set display mode to Hide all tags | Only affects the screen display, the markup remains in the file |
| You don’t want to leave traces of your modifications when editing by yourself | Close the revision history and modify again | Subsequent changes will take effect directly and no new revision marks will be generated. |
| The modification content has been determined | Accept or reject amendments item by item | After acceptance, the changes become the main text. If rejected, the original text is restored and the mark disappears. |
| Comment has been processed | Delete comments one by one | After deletion, the comments no longer appear in the file and cannot be seen by the other party. |
| Prepare documents for finalization or sending to others | Process tags first before saving a copy or exporting | Prevent others from seeing unprocessed revisions and comments |
# before you start: confirm these points first
- 1. Make sure you want to "hide" or "clear". * hidden but not displayed, the tag is still in the file, and the recipient can see the original revisions and comments by switching back to the display mode. Clearing removes these contents from the file. The effects of the two are completely different. Choosing the wrong one may make others think that you have finished dealing with it, or mistakenly delete opinions that have not been read yet.
- 2. Confirm whether the revision record is currently open. * if the revision record is open, every subsequent change will be marked and it is easy to mistake it for a comment left by someone else. Take a look at your status before you start, so as to avoid mixing your editors with the opinions of others.
- 3. Confirm that the document has protection restrictions. if the author has set protection, some amendments or annotations may not be used, and the restrictions need to be lifted by the author first, or with the consent of the author. This is particularly common when dealing with contracts, tenders and paper reviews.
- 4. Save another copy before operation. * accepting, rejecting, and deleting tags can all change the contents of the file. If you want to get back to the original after saving, you can only rely on the previous version, so it is recommended to save another copy and keep the original file as a backup.
# steps to switch between revision record and display in Word
- Open the document that needs to be processed and find the grouping related to review and revision in the top ribbon. This group usually focuses on annotations, revisions, and comparisons.
two. View the switch status of the revision record. The button is usually pressed or highlighted when it is turned on, and vice versa when it is closed. If you just want to stop recording new changes, turn it off and subsequent editors will not be marked again.
- Find the drop-down options to display the markup. The common ones are simple tags, all tags, unmarked and original, depending on the version you are using.
- In the options for display, select the item that hides all tags. The red underline and comment bubbles on the page are hidden, and the text looks the same as the normal document. In this step, only the display is changed, and the contents of the file remain unchanged.
- When you need to review it, go back to the same drop-down option and display all the tags instead, and the revisions and comments will reappear.
- If it is determined that the content is no longer needed, deal with it one by one in the review group: revisions can be accepted or rejected, and comments can be deleted. Switching display mode is not a substitute for this step.
# check item by item after completion
After closing or processing, it is recommended to check it item by item, especially before sending the document to others or before submitting it.
| Check item | What do you think? | What if there's a problem? |
|---|---|---|
| Revision record status | Change a word randomly to see if a revision mark appears. | If there is a mark you don't need, close the record first, and then process the mark one by one. |
| Page display | After cutting to hide all the marks, see if the text is clean | When there is still text displayed, make sure that it is the content of the text itself, not the residual mark. |
| Is the annotation residual? | Browse comments one by one in the review group | Processed comments are deleted directly; unprocessed comments are left to the author or for self-follow-up |
| Whether the text has been mistakenly modified | In comparison with the original text, focus on the accepted or rejected amendments | If misoperation is found, do not save the file when you close it, go back to the previous copy and reprocess it. |
| Export result | After saving as PDF, open the preview to check if the tag is brought out. | Confirm that all revisions have been deleted or accepted before export, and then re-export |
# Core comparison
The difference between different display modes mainly lies in how much modification information can be seen on the screen. Understanding their differences can reduce the confusion of cutting back and forth.
| Display mode | Page effect | Suitable for the scene |
|---|---|---|
| Simple tag | The modification is prompted by the vertical bar on the side, and the text is basically readable | Take a quick look and know where to change it. |
| All marks | Add and delete content and comment bubbles are all unfolded | When reviewing changes one by one, or when you need to deal with comments |
| Unmarked | Do not show any revisions and comments | When viewing clean text, or screenshot or typesetting |
| Primitive | Show the original text after all revisions have been rejected | Compare the differences before and after revision |
# frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. When the annotation mode is turned off, can others still see the annotation when it is turned on?
Yes. Switching the display mode only affects the display on your own screen, and the comments and revisions in the file are still retained. As long as the other party changes the display mode to show all the marks, you can see it.
2. Why do I change the text, but there are colors and underlines on the page?
This is usually when the revision record is open and your changes are marked automatically. If you close the revision record and edit it, or accept the revision one by one after confirmation, you can make the change into a normal text.
3. What's the difference between hiding comments and deleting comments?
Hidden but not displayed, the annotation is still in the file, others can see it by switching the display mode. Deletion removes the comment from the file. Before the final version, the annotations that have been processed are recommended to be deleted directly.
4. Can it be revoked after accepting the amendment?
You can usually restore the file with an undo operation before saving and closing the file. Once saved, if you want to get back to the original revision state, you can only rely on the previously saved copy, so it is necessary to save another copy before operation.
# Summary
The annotation mode of Word can be divided into two layers: the revision record determines whether new changes are marked, the display determines whether the mark is seen on the screen, and the file content is really changed by processing it one by one. If you want to turn it on, open the revision record and change the display mode to show all marks; if you want to turn it off, first decide whether to hide, stop recording or clear it completely as needed, and then check the results item by item.
