If you’ve ever printed a document from Microsoft Word only to find your carefully placed comments cluttering the margins, you’re not alone. This is a common frustration for professionals, students, and anyone who uses Word for collaborative projects. Comments are essential for feedback and editing, but when it comes time to present or finalize a document, they can be an eyesore. Knowing how to exclude comments when printing is a simple yet essential skill that can save you time, paper, and avoid awkward presentations of cluttered pages.
In this post, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to print Word documents without comments, explore why this practice is crucial, and discuss how it fits into the broader conversation of document management. By the end, you’ll feel empowered to deliver clean, professional-looking documents—whether it’s for your boss, client, or classmates.
Why It’s Important to Print Without Comments
In the age of collaboration, using Word’s Track Changes and comment features has become a standard practice. They allow editors, teammates, and clients to provide feedback without altering the original text. This makes the process of editing and revising seamless. However, these tools are meant for internal use—not for the final version of your document.
When printing a document, especially for formal purposes, it’s vital to present a clean, professional version without distractions like comments or markups. Whether it’s a printed handout for a presentation, a contract for a client, or a polished thesis, excluding comments will ensure your document appears clear, well-organized, and ready for distribution.
In terms of professionalism, nothing says “unfinished” like a document filled with colorful annotations on the margins. Plus, there’s a good chance the recipient won’t be interested in seeing internal feedback—they want the final content.
How to Print Word Documents Without Comments: A Step-by-Step Guide
Microsoft Word offers several ways to remove comments when printing your document. Below, I’ll walk you through the simplest and most effective method.
1. Open Your Document
First, open the Word document that contains the comments or tracked changes you want to exclude when printing.
2. Go to the ‘Review’ Tab
Navigate to the Review tab located on the Word ribbon at the top of the page. This is where all the tools for tracking changes, adding comments, and reviewing them are located.
3. Select ‘No Markup’ from the Display for Review Dropdown
On the Review tab, locate the Tracking group. You’ll see a dropdown menu called Display for Review. By default, Word may display the document with “All Markup” (showing comments and tracked changes). To remove comments from your view, select No Markup. This setting hides the comments, but don’t worry—they’re still there, just not visible in your printed version.
4. Print the Document
Now that the comments are hidden, it’s time to print. Go to File > Print or simply press Ctrl + P on your keyboard. Before printing, double-check the preview pane to ensure that comments and other markups are no longer visible.
5. Double-Check the Preview
It’s always a good idea to confirm that the preview pane reflects your changes. If the comments are still visible, repeat the above steps and ensure No Markup is selected before proceeding.
Optional Step: Save a Copy Without Comments
If you want to permanently remove comments from a specific version of your document, you can go to Review > Delete (within the Comments group) and choose to delete all comments. Make sure to save a new copy, as you might want to retain comments in the original file for future reference.
Tips for Efficient Document Management
Managing comments and other revisions is part of the larger task of document control. The ability to create clean, final versions of your documents is essential for any professional workflow. Below are some tips to help you streamline this process:
1. Use Track Changes and Comments Wisely
Not every edit needs to be made using Track Changes or comments. Reserve these features for substantial edits or feedback that needs to be documented. For quick, internal changes, you might not need to use comments at all.
2. Create Multiple Versions of Important Documents
When working on a significant project, create multiple versions of your document. For instance, you might have a “draft with comments” version and a “final, clean copy” version. This helps you preserve feedback without worrying about accidentally printing or sending the wrong version.
3. Utilize Cloud-Based Document Storage
If you’re working collaboratively, consider using a cloud-based storage system like Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox. These platforms allow for easy collaboration while tracking changes in real-time. More importantly, you can revert to previous versions of the document if needed, without cluttering your desktop with numerous files.
4. Keep Backup Copies of Commented Documents
Even after cleaning up a document for printing or distribution, it’s wise to keep a backup of the version with comments, especially for long-term projects. This way, you can always revisit previous feedback without cluttering the final version.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Forgetting to Check the Print Preview
One of the most common mistakes is assuming that comments are removed just because they’re not visible in the main editing view. Always check the print preview to confirm that comments aren’t being printed accidentally. - Permanently Deleting Comments Before Finalizing Edits
Don’t rush to delete comments before you’ve fully addressed the feedback. This is especially crucial for collaborative work, where others may still need to see your responses. - Not Understanding the Difference Between ‘No Markup’ and ‘Original’ View
When selecting No Markup, you’re hiding comments and changes—but they’re still there. The Original view, on the other hand, shows the document as it was before any changes were made. Ensure you’re choosing the right view before printing.
Wrapping Up
Printing Word documents without comments is a small but crucial step in maintaining professionalism and ensuring that your hard work is presented in the best light. Whether you’re working on legal documents, academic papers, or business reports, clean, comment-free prints are non-negotiable.
By following the steps outlined above, you can ensure that your printed Word documents are polished and distraction-free. Remember to always double-check the print preview before hitting that final print button, and consider saving a backup version with comments for future reference.
If you found this guide helpful, be sure to check out our other posts on Microsoft Word tips and best practices for document management. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting, there’s always something new to learn in the world of efficient document creation!
Would you like more tips on document management? Visit our how to minimize Word file size guide to help you manage the space used by your Word documents.