You have enabled the setting to show comments in the margin, but Word still displays them inline or hides them entirely. This problem usually occurs because a conflicting view setting or a document-specific override forces comments to appear inline. In this article, you will learn why Word ignores your margin display choice and how to restore the margin layout for comments.
Key Takeaways: Restoring Comments to the Margin in Word
- File > Options > General > User Interface options > Show comments in margin: This is the main toggle that controls whether comments appear in the margin or inline. Ensure it is checked.
- Review tab > Show Comments button: This toggle hides or shows comments entirely. If it is grayed out, comments are hidden.
- View tab > Draft mode: Draft view does not display margins. Switch to Print Layout or Web Layout to see margin comments.
Why Comments Stay Inline Despite the Margin Setting
Word has a global setting that determines where comments appear: in the margin to the right of the document text or inline within the text itself. This setting is located in File > Options > General under the section User Interface options. When you uncheck the box labeled Show comments in margin, comments move inline. However, even when this box is checked, several other factors can override it.
The most common cause is the document view type. Word’s Draft view does not show margins at all. In Draft view, all comments appear inline regardless of the margin setting. Similarly, the Read Mode view hides comments by default. Another frequent cause is a document-level override. Some documents created in older versions of Word or converted from other formats may have a compatibility mode that forces inline comments. Finally, the Show Comments toggle on the Review tab can hide all comments, making it appear as if the margin setting is broken.
Steps to Force Comments Back to the Margin
Follow these steps in order. After each step, check whether comments have moved to the margin. If not, proceed to the next step.
- Check the global margin setting
Open File > Options > General. Under User Interface options, verify that the checkbox Show comments in margin is checked. If it is unchecked, check it and click OK. This setting applies to all documents. - Switch to Print Layout view
Go to the View tab and click Print Layout. Draft view and Read Mode do not support margin comments. Print Layout is the only view that reliably shows comments in the margin. - Enable Show Comments on the Review tab
On the Review tab, look for the Show Comments button in the Comments group. If it is gray or not highlighted, click it to turn it on. When Show Comments is off, all comments are hidden. - Reset the document to normal formatting
If the document was created in an older version of Word, it may be in compatibility mode. Click File > Info and look for the Compatibility Mode label next to the document type. If you see it, click Convert to upgrade the document to the current Word format. Confirm the conversion and save the file. - Disable the inline comment override via Registry (advanced users only)
Close Word. Press Windows key + R, type regedit, and press Enter. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Word\Options. Look for a DWORD value named CommentsInline. If it exists, set its value to 0. If it does not exist, do not create it. Exit Registry Editor and restart Word. - Repair Office installation
Open Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features. Select Microsoft 365 (or Microsoft Office) and click Change. Choose Quick Repair and follow the prompts. If the problem persists, repeat with Online Repair.
If Comments Still Stay Inline After the Main Fix
Comments appear only in balloons but not in the margin
Word offers a third display mode called Balloons. When Balloons mode is active, comments appear in small callout boxes near the text rather than in the margin strip. To disable Balloons, go to Review tab > Show Markup > Balloons > Show All Revisions Inline. This forces comments to the margin if the global margin setting is enabled.
Comments are visible on screen but not when printing
Printing comments in the margin requires a separate setting. Go to File > Options > Display > Printing options and check Print comments and markup. Without this, comments are omitted from the printed output even if they appear on screen.
Comments disappear after saving and reopening
This can happen if the document is saved in a format that does not support margin comments, such as .txt or .rtf. Save the document as a .docx file. Also ensure that the document is not in compatibility mode by checking File > Info.
Word Display Views and Comment Behavior: Comparison Table
| View Type | Margin Comments Supported | Inline Comments Supported |
|---|---|---|
| Print Layout | Yes | Yes |
| Web Layout | Yes | Yes |
| Draft | No | Yes |
| Read Mode | No | Limited (tap to view) |
| Outline | No | Yes |
Margin comments only appear in Print Layout and Web Layout views. If you work in Draft or Outline view, comments will always appear inline regardless of the margin setting.
You can now restore comments to the margin by verifying the global setting in File > Options > General and switching to Print Layout view. If the problem persists, check the Show Comments toggle on the Review tab and convert any legacy documents to the current .docx format. For advanced control over comment display, use the Balloons menu on the Review tab to force inline mode when needed.