How to insert comments in Excel

A comment is generally a remark, suggestion, string of text in a program’s code, script, a short statement, or observation that is used to make source code easier to understand for humans. Some special characters (such as /*, ” “, //, “#”, as well as <!– –>) are used to insert comments at the beginning or the ending of the string.

For example, in HTML the below syntax is used to write the comment.

Note: The comment statements are not executed by the compiler as well as the interpreter.

Types of comments

There are the following two types of comments –

1. Single line comment

Single line comments allow you to write comment only a single line at a time.

2. Multiline comment

Multiline comment allows you to write comment for more than one line at the same time.

Advantages to insert comments

A list of advantage to insert comments is shown below –

1. Comments help users to understand code easily.
2. It indicates potential problem areas to avoid.
3. Comments are written in general words that’s why easier to read as compared to the code.
4. It helps you to collect information in one place.
5. Comments are easier to express and can be more precise than the actual code.
6. Generally, comments are shorter than the code.

Disadvantages to insert comments

1. Comments require more space and memory that’s why performance is slow.
2. More time is required to add comments.
3. Sometimes, comments destroyed the documentation.
4. Comments are less reliable as compared to the code itself.
5. It encourages bad code.
6. Adding comments can be a high risk.

Methods to insert comments in Excel

A list of methods to insert comments in Excel is discussed below –

Insert comments in Excel

Inserting Comments in an Excel document provides a great way to explain formulas, cells, and other important data. Microsoft Excel provides the easiest and quickest methods to insert comments on the document.

Steps to insert comments in Excel

There are the following steps to insert comments in Excel –

Note: Using the below steps, you are able to insert comments in Excel XP/2003, Excel 2007, Excel 2010, Excel 2013, Excel 2016, Excel 2019, and Office 365.

Step 1: Go to the Search Bar at the bottom window, type Microsoft Excel, and then press the Enter key from the keyboard. Or you can double-click the Microsoft Excel icon to open the Microsoft Excel document.

Step 2: Click on the File tab -> New -> Blank document -> Create to open a new blank document. Click on the File -> Open -> Browse file location -> Open to open an existing Microsoft Excel document.

Note: In our case, we are going to open a new Microsoft Excel document.

Step 3: Prepare a list of documents to insert comments in Excel.

Step 4: Place the cursor over the cell where you want a comment to appear in the document. (We use cell C2 to display the comment)

Step 5: Right-click on the selected cell, a small pop-up will appear with the list of options. Click on the Insert Comment option as shown in the screenshot given below.

Step 6: A small insert comment pop-up appears on the screen. Write any comment that you want to add to the document.

Step 7: Press the Enter key from the keyboard or click outside the comment box. Now, you can see that the comment is inserted in your desired cell.

Method 2: Insert comment using the Review tab

Steps to insert a comment

A list of steps to insert a comment in the Excel document is discussed below –

Step 1: Open a Microsoft Excel document by double-clicking on the Microsoft Excel icon present in the Desktop or Taskbar.

Step 2: Click on the File -> New -> Blank document -> Create to open a new Excel document. To open an existing document click on the File -> Open -> Browse file location -> Open button.

Note: In our case, we use an existing Microsoft Excel document.

Step 3: Click on the cell where you want to insert the comment. After that , click on the Review tab on the ribbon and then click on the New Comment option in the Comments section.

Step 4: A small insert comment dialog box will appear on the screen, after inserting the comment, press anywhere in the document.

Step 5: You can see that your inserted comment will appear in your desired cell. See the screenshot given below.

Show/Hide comments in Excel

Microsoft Excel also allows you to Show/Hide comments in the Excel document, using a Show all button in the ribbon.

Note: By default, Excel is designed to keep the comments hidden.

Steps to show/hide comments in Excel

Follow the below given step by step procedure to show/hide comments in the Excel document –

Step 1: Open a New or an existing Microsoft Excel document in which you want to show/hide comments.

Step 2: Right-click on any cell. A list of options will appear on the screen in which click on the show or hide the comment option. OR click on the Review tab on the ribbon and then click on Show All Comments option under the Comments group to show or hide and hide or show comments in the Excel document.

Edit Comment in Excel

Once you insert comments in the Microsoft Excel document, you can also make changes (edit) on your inserted comment based on your requirement.

To edit the inserted comment, follow the below-given list of steps –

Step 1: Open an existing Microsoft Excel document to edit the comment in the document.

Step 2: Right-click on the selected document. A list of options will appear on the screen. Click on the Exit Edit Text option, OR you can also place a mouse pointer on the selected comment to edit the comment as shown in the below screenshot.

Step 3: Remove the previous comment, Add the comment that you want to insert and click anywhere in the document.

Now, you can see that your desired content is edited to the Microsoft Excel document.

Delete a Comment in Excel

After adding the comments in the Microsoft Excel document, you can also delete them based on the document’s requirement. Follow the below given easiest step by step procedure to delete a comment in the Microsoft Excel document –

Step 1: Open an existing Microsoft Excel document from which you want to delete the comment.

Note: Click on the File -> Open option -> Browse an existing file location -> click the Open button to open the existing Microsoft Excel document.

Step 2: Click on the comment that you want to delete from the Excel document.

Step 3: Go to the Review tab on the ribbon. Under the Comment section, click on the Delete button.

Step 4: After completing the above-mentioned steps, you can see that inserted comment is deleted from the Microsoft Excel document.

Format Comment in Excel document

Microsoft Excel automatically uses Tahoma style font with font size 9 on a PC and font size 10 on a Mac to insert a comment in the document. You can also change the default comment formatting based on your requirement for both Windows as well as Mac.

Steps to format comment

A list of steps to format comment is as follows –

Step 1: Open a new or an existing Microsoft Excel document.

Step 2: Select the comment for which you want to change the format, such as (Change color, style, font size, and more)

Step 3: Right-click on the selected comment, a list of options will appear on the screen. Click on the Format comment option. See the screenshot given below.

Step 4: A format Comment dialog box will appear on the screen in which do the following –

1. Select the font that you want to apply in the Font section.
2. Select the Font style in the Font style section.
3. Select the Size in the Size section.
4. Select color using the drop-down under the color section.
5. In the Preview section, you can see the preview of your comment.

Once you are satisfied with the preview, click on the OK button at the bottom of the Format Comment dialog box.

Note: In our case, we change the Font, Font style, and size of the previously given comment.

Now the screenshot below shows that the comment is Format based on your requirement.

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