Google Docs Collaborative Tools: Comments
- Lina Mazewska
- Sep 2
- 4 min read
Last updated on 2/9/2025 by Lina Madigan
Objective
By the end of this exercise, you will be able to:
Add comments using the button, right-click menu, or keyboard shortcut
Tag collaborators using @mentions
Edit your own comments
Delete your own comments when appropriate
Resolve comments once they have been addressed
Reopen resolved comments when further discussion is needed
Prerequisites
A Google account and access to Google Docs.
Table of Contents
Overview
Instructions
Button Method
Right Click Method
Keyboard Shortcut Method
Commenting
Overview
Instructions
Overview
Instructions
Overview
Instructions
Resolving a Comment
Viewing Resolved Comments
Adding a comment
Overview
There are multiple ways to add a comment. This section will show you how to add comment via a button, right click, or a keyboard shortcut.
Instructions
Button Method
Highlight the text you want to comment on.
A small menu will appear on the right-hand side of the selection.
Click the Comment icon (speech bubble with a plus sign), labeled Add comment when you hover over it.
The comment window will appear. Continue to the Commenting section.
Right Click Method
Highlight the text you want to comment on.
Right-click the highlighted text to open the context menu.
Select Comment from the list.
The comment window will appear. Continue to the Commenting section.
Keyboard Shortcut Method
Highlight the text you want to comment on.
Press Ctrl + Alt + M (Windows) or Command + Option + M (Mac).
The comment window will appear. Continue to the Commenting section.
Commenting
All the above methods open the comment box, where you can type your feedback or question.
To tag someone, type @ followed by their name or email address (e.g., @John Smith).
Tagged users will receive an email notification and can respond directly.
Once you've written your comment, click Comment to post it.
Tips
Be specific when commenting to reduce confusion. For example: “Can we clarify this sentence?” instead of “Change this.”
Use comments to ask questions, suggest edits, or assign tasks (e.g., “@John, can you review this section?”).
Editing a comment
Overview
Sometimes you may need to revise a comment you’ve already posted: whether to fix a typo, clarify a point, or add more detail. Google Docs allows you to edit comments you've made.
Instructions
Locate the comment you want to edit.
Hover over the comment until the three-dot menu (⋮) appears in the top-right corner of the comment box.
Click the three-dot menu.
Select Edit from the dropdown menu.
Make your changes in the comment field.
Click Save to update the comment.
Note: You can only edit comments that you created. Comments from other collaborators cannot be edited by you, but you can reply to them.
Tips
Edited comments do not show a visible edit history, so it's good practice to be transparent if you're changing meaning (e.g., “Edited for clarity.”).
Deleting a comment
Overview
You can delete comments that you’ve made in Google Docs if they are no longer relevant, were made in error, or need to be removed for clarity. Deleted comments are permanently removed from the document.
Instructions
Find the comment you want to delete.
Hover over the comment box until the three-dot menu (⋮) appears in the upper-right corner.
Click the three-dot menu.
Select Delete from the dropdown list.
The comment will be removed from the document.
Note: You can only delete comments that you added. If you didn’t write the comment, you won't see the "Delete" option, but you can still reply or resolve it.
Tips
Consider resolving a comment instead of deleting it if you want to keep a record of the discussion.
Deleted comments cannot be recovered, so be sure you want to remove them permanently.
Resolving a comment
Overview
Once a comment has been addressed, such as if the question has been answered or an edit made, you can resolve it. Resolving a comment hides it from view but keeps a record of the conversation for future reference.
Instructions
Resolving a Comment
Locate the comment that has been addressed.
Hover over the comment box.
Click the Resolve icon (blue check mark), in the upper-right corner of the comment. It is labeled Mark as resolved and hide discussion when you hover over it.
The comment will disappear from the document view but will remain in the comment history.
Note: Any collaborator with access to the document can resolve a comment: not just the person who made it.
Viewing Resolved Comments
Click the Comments button (speech bubble icon) at the top-right of the document. It is labeled Show all comments when you hover over it.
A comment thread panel will appear on the right.
Scroll through the panel to view resolved comments, which are marked as Resolved.
Tips
You can reopen a resolved comment by clicking Reopen from the comment history panel if further discussion is needed.
Use resolving to keep your document organized and avoid clutter from completed discussions.
Try It Yourself
Open or create a new Google Doc and try the following:
☐ Highlight a sentence and add a comment suggesting a change.
☐ Use @ to tag a classmate or colleague.
☐ Edit your comment to add more detail.
☐ Delete one of your comments.
☐ Add a new comment and then resolve it.
☐ Open the comment history and reopen a resolved comment.
Contact
For questions, clarifications, or feedback, please reach out to:
Lina Madigan
Comments