Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Formatting Comments.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 21, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
When you add a comment to a document, Word displays that comment in any number of ways, depending on your Word version and how you have it configured to display comments. Common to all comments, however, is the effort by Word to display them in a plain, straightforward manner. If you want to get a bit more fancy with your comments, there are a couple of things you can do.
First, you can format the text in a comment in the same manner that you format regular text. All you need to do is select the text and then use the regular tools on the Formatting toolbar to apply different attributes such as bold or italic. You can also right-click any selected text and choose Font from the Context menu in order to make more detailed changes.
Another thing to remember is that the base formatting used for comments is controlled by the Comment Text style. Change this style, and the formatting of all your comments are changed accordingly.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (348) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Formatting Comments.
Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!
Comments can be a necessity when developing documents in conjunction with other people. They can be used to help document ...
Discover MoreWhen you add a comment to a document, Word presents that comment in a very specific way. If you want to change the way in ...
Discover MoreWhen developing a document, you may end up with all sorts of comments that you need to deal with. One common task is to ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here:
Comments