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 in Text Boxes.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated March 22, 2022)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Text boxes are great for many things, but adding comments is not one of those things. Word won't allow you to add comments to text within a text box, as you can to regular text in your document.
If you absolutely must have comments in your text boxes, there are two possible solutions. The first is to work around it by just adding hidden text in the text box. You can make the hidden text visible or invisible, as the need arises. The second potential solution is to not use text boxes, but use frames.
Frames have been available in Word for longer than text boxes. They provide basically the same capabilities, but there are some differences. One of the differences is that you can add comments to text within frames. (All of the differences between text boxes and frames were covered in a previous issue of WordTips.) To convert a text box to a frame, follow these steps:
You can now add comments to the text in the frame.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1601) 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: Comments in Text Boxes.
Do More in Less Time! Are you ready to harness the full power of Word 2013 to create professional documents? In this comprehensive guide you'll learn the skills and techniques for efficiently building the documents you need for your professional and your personal life. Check out Word 2013 In Depth today!
Want to see what a comment says just by moving the mouse? Here's how.
Discover MoreGot comments in your document? Want to get rid of them all? The easiest way to do so is going to depend on the complexity ...
Discover MoreGot a bunch of comments in your document? You can easily jump from one comment to the other by using the Object Browser, ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2017-11-18 11:21:38
make
<h1>yes</h1>
2017-06-27 18:52:16
Bruno Assuncao
Hi Allen thank you for the tip. It was helpful for me.
The only issue is that after converting the text box to a frame, when I include the comments they get to the end of the page and I am not able to move the comments up so I visualize all of them.
Is there something I can do to fix this?
Thank you
BrunoAssuncao
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 © 2024 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments