Are you tired of cluttered Word documents filled with resolved comments? Do you need a clean, streamlined document for final review or printing? This comprehensive guide will teach you everything you need to know about hiding those resolved comments in Microsoft Word, restoring clarity and professionalism to your work.
Understanding Resolved Comments in Microsoft Word
Before diving into the hiding process, let's clarify what "resolved comments" actually are. In Word's track changes feature, comments are marked as "resolved" once their associated edits have been accepted or rejected. While resolving a comment removes the visual "balloon" from the text, it doesn't automatically delete the comment itself. They remain in the document's metadata, potentially cluttering the editing process if you're working with a large group.
This guide will cover methods for hiding resolved comments so they are no longer visually obstructive but readily available if needed.
Methods for Hiding Resolved Comments in Word
Word doesn't offer a single, direct button to hide resolved comments. However, there are effective workarounds to achieve the desired effect, depending on your needs and Word version:
1. Using the "Simple Markup" View
This is the easiest and most recommended method. "Simple Markup" displays only the changes themselves (insertions, deletions, formatting), without showing the comments. Resolved comments are hidden implicitly within this view.
How to switch to Simple Markup:
- Go to the Review tab in the Word ribbon.
- In the "Tracking" group, click the Simple Markup button.
This instantly hides the resolved comments, providing a clean document for review or printing. Remember to switch back to "All Markup" or "No Markup" when you need to see the comments again.
2. Filtering Comments (Word 2016 and Later)
For more granular control, you can filter the comments displayed. This allows you to see only unresolved comments, effectively hiding the resolved ones.
How to filter comments:
- Go to the Review tab.
- In the "Tracking" group, click Show Markup.
- Select Filter Comments.
- Uncheck the "Resolved" box.
- Click OK.
This filters out only the resolved comments, leaving only the unresolved ones visible.
3. Printing Without Markup
The simplest way to ensure resolved comments don't appear in your printed document is to print without including markup.
How to print without markup:
- Before printing, go to the File tab.
- Select Print.
- In the Print dialog box, ensure that the "Print Markup" option (if available) is unchecked, or choose an option like "Print to PDF" to generate a clean version.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Will hiding resolved comments permanently delete them?
A: No. Hiding resolved comments only affects their visibility; the comments themselves remain part of the document's metadata and can be accessed again by changing your view settings or filtering options.
Q: Can I selectively hide only certain resolved comments?
A: No, the methods described above apply to all resolved comments within the document. You cannot selectively hide individual comments.
Conclusion: A Cleaner, More Efficient Workflow
By mastering these methods for hiding resolved comments, you can maintain a cleaner and more efficient workflow in Microsoft Word. Whether you're preparing a document for final review, printing, or simply need to declutter your workspace, understanding how to control the visibility of resolved comments is a valuable skill for any Word user. Remember to choose the method that best suits your needs and always double-check your settings before finalizing your document or printing.
