OmniDocHow to keep or hide comments when converting Word to PDF
Explains which setting determines whether comments are displayed when Word exports PDF, gives two methods of retaining comments and hiding comments, and lists verification methods after export, which is suitable for organizing review drafts, contracts, and papers before they are finalized.
Key points of this article
- Whether annotations are included in the PDF is determined by the markup options when exporting, and is different from typesetting settings such as fonts and page margins.
- If you want to preserve your comments, make sure they are visible on the page before exporting, and include the markup in the export options.
- If you want to hide comments, you can accept changes, delete comments, or unmark them in the export options before exporting.
- After exporting, check the number of comments, author, content and layout page by page. If any problems are found, go back to Word and re-export.
- It is recommended to save the version sent externally separately to avoid sending internal discussions and author information together.
Many people convert the reviewed Word documents into PDF and give them to their leaders, clients or partners. After exporting, they find that all the modification comments are printed on the page; or conversely, the comments they want the other party to see are missing. The root cause of such problems is usually not the font or typography, but the markup options when exporting.
This article is written for people who need to convert annotated Word manuscript into PDF. After reading, you can decide whether to keep or hide comments, know where to set them in the export process, and how to quickly check after exporting.
How to keep or hide comments when converting Word to PDF? One sentence conclusion
First determine who the PDF is for, and then decide whether to keep the comments: keep it if the other party needs to see the revision comments, and hide it when the final version is sent to the outside world.
| your situation | Recommended practices | reason |
|---|---|---|
| The other party needs to see the modification comments for discussion | Include tags when exporting, retain comments | Annotation location and content are passed along with the PDF |
| The final draft is issued, and internal discussions cannot be exposed. | Accept changes first, delete comments, and then export | Author names and discussion content will not appear in the document |
| It is necessary to both leave traces and send it to the outside world. | Save two versions: keep the annotated version and send the clean version | The two documents perform their respective duties without interfering with each other. |
| There are a lot of comments and the layout is messy after exporting. | Process unnecessary annotations one by one first and reduce the number before exporting. | The more space the comment box takes up, the greater the possibility of page misalignment. |
| Just keep it for yourself temporarily | Export annotated version, file name indicates the version | Does not affect the original file, making it easy to trace later |
Before you start: Confirm these points first
Take a few minutes to confirm the following items before you start, so you can avoid rework.
- Distinguish between comments and revisions. Comments are the comment bubbles on the margin of the page, and revisions are traces of insertion and deletion. The two may be affected by different settings when exporting and need to be checked separately.
- Confirm if there are any unprocessed revisions. If the revision is not accepted or rejected, the export results will still be marked with strikethroughs, underlines, etc., even if you have hidden the comments.
- Confirm whether the purpose is to retain internally or send externally. The purpose determines whether you keep the markup or clean the annotation.
- Pay attention to the author and time information. Comments will show author name and time. Before sending it externally, you should confirm whether the information is suitable for disclosure.
- Differentiate export methods. The export options of desktop office software are usually more complete; the options of online conversion websites are often fewer, and whether annotations are retained depends on its instructions. When using online tools, it is recommended to test with a one-page sample first.
Steps to export PDF with or without annotations in Word
The steps below apply to the common desktop version of Word. Please refer to the interface of your current version. If you cannot find the corresponding option, you can find the settings related to "Mark" and "Annotation" in the export dialog box.
- Make a copy of the original file. It cannot be automatically restored after accepting revisions or deleting comments. Save a copy first for easy retrieval later.
- Browse all comments and revisions. Go through the review-related panes one by one and make note of what needs to be kept and what can be processed.
- Dispose of unnecessary content. If you want to hide the comments, accept the changes one by one and delete the unnecessary comments; if you want to keep them, skip this step.
- Confirm how the mark is displayed. In review settings, make comments and revisions visible on the page, consistent with the effect you want to export.
- Open the Export to PDF dialog box. Enter via "Save As" or "Export" and select PDF format.
- Tick the option by target. If you want to keep the comments, select options such as marking or printing comments; if you want to hide them, cancel this option.
- Name and save. The file name indicates the version, such as "Report_Annotated.pdf" or "Report_Final.pdf" to avoid confusion.
- Open the results with a PDF reader and check page by page. See the next section for specific verification methods.
If you need to compare two versions after exporting, you can use the comparison function in the OmniDoc desktop client (download.omnidoc.top) to compare the annotated version and the clean version side by side to confirm that the differences only appear in the places you expect.
Check each item after completion
After the export is completed, do not send it directly. Check it item by item according to the table.
| Check items | How to see it | What should you do if there's a problem? |
|---|---|---|
| Whether annotations appear as needed | Flip through each page and count the number of annotations | If the quantity is incorrect, go back to Word and re-export |
| Annotated content and author | Zoom in to check if the text is complete and whether the author's name meets expectations | For external versions, author information is processed first, then exported |
| Page layout | Check whether the comment box squeezes the main text or obscures the content | Reduce the number of annotations or adjust the display mode before exporting |
| Revise the traces | Check if strikethroughs or underscores remain | Go back to Word to accept revisions before exporting |
| Whether internal content is mixed in | Read through the comments and look for discussions that are not suitable for external posting | Save a clean version without annotations and send it separately |
| Text is optional | Try selecting a passage of text | If it cannot be selected, it means the content may be an image and should be exported from Word |
📊 Core Comparison
Each of the three common approaches has its own choices and can be chosen according to the scenario.
| Method | Suitable for the scene | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Include markings when exporting | The draft needs to be reviewed by the other party for revision suggestions | The author's name and date will be displayed together |
| Accept and delete comments before exporting | The final draft is sent without the need for discussion | The operation is irreversible; be sure to save the copy first |
| Save both versions | They had to leave traces while also sending them out | There are many files, so you need to distinguish them by file name |
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Why don't annotations show when converting Word to PDF?
Before exporting, make the tags hidden in Word, or uninclude tags in the export options before exporting. After exporting, use a PDF reader to confirm. If you still see comments, check if there are any unedited revisions.
2. How to remove annotations from Word to PDF?
The safest way is to go back to Word, delete comments one by one, accept or reject revisions, and then export them. It is not recommended to delete each item directly on the PDF, as it can easily be overlooked.
3. How to preserve annotation formats when converting Word to PDF?
Annotation formats usually refer to color, author, time, and bubble position. When exporting, select the inclusion tag, then check the color and position. Different export methods may retain annotation styles differently. It is recommended to test with a one-page sample first, confirm everything is correct, and then export the entire version.
4. What to do if the annotation position is out of sync after exporting?
A common reason is that the comment box takes up space. You can reduce the number of annotations or adjust the display of marks, then export again. After exporting, check page by page to ensure the main text is not squeezed.
📝 Summary
Whether annotations are kept when converting Word to PDF depends on the marking options made during export and is considered separately from layout settings. First, clarify whether the document is reserved or sent externally, then choose to keep or hide the comments, and after exporting, verify page by page.
