How to Recover Lost Comments in Word

You have edited a Word document and suddenly all the comments are gone. This can happen after a failed save, a crash, or when someone accidentally deletes comments. Word does not have a direct undo button for comments, but several built-in features can bring them back. This article explains why comments disappear and shows four proven methods to recover them, including using the Undo stack, recovering unsaved versions, checking the Recycle Bin, and restoring previous document versions from OneDrive or SharePoint.

Why Comments Disappear in Word

Comments in Word are stored as part of the document’s XML structure. When you delete a comment, Word removes the associated XML elements. If you close the document without saving, the comments remain in the last saved version. If you save after deletion, the comments are permanently removed from that saved file. Common causes include accidental deletion by the user or a collaborator, a Word crash that prevents the autosave from capturing the comments, or a failed sync with a cloud storage service that overwrites the file with a version missing comments. Understanding these causes helps you choose the right recovery method.

Methods to Recover Lost Comments in Word

Choose the method that matches your situation. Start with the quickest option and move to more involved methods only if needed.

Method 1: Undo the Deletion Immediately

If you just deleted the comments and have not closed the document, the Undo command can restore them instantly.

1. Press Ctrl+Z on your keyboard
   This undoes the last action. If you deleted multiple comments, press Ctrl+Z repeatedly until the comments reappear. Each press undoes one action.
2. Check the Undo dropdown
   Click the Undo arrow in the Quick Access Toolbar at the top of Word. A list of recent actions appears. Select the actions up to and including the deletion to restore the comments in one step.
3. Save the document immediately
   After the comments return, press Ctrl+S to save the document. This prevents losing them again if Word crashes or if you close the file accidentally.

Method 2: Recover an Unsaved Document Version

Word automatically saves draft versions of open documents every few minutes. If you closed the document without saving after the comments disappeared, the autosaved version may still contain them.

1. Open Word and go to File > Info
   In the Info pane, look for the Manage Document button. Click it and select Recover Unsaved Documents from the dropdown menu.
2. Browse the list of unsaved files
   A File Explorer window opens showing all autosaved .asd files. Find the file that matches your document name and the timestamp closest to when the comments were still present. Double-click the file to open it in Word.
3. Compare the recovered version with the current document
   Scroll through the recovered file to confirm the comments are there. If they are, copy the content or use File > Save As to save this version as a new .docx file. Then manually merge the comments into your current document.

Method 3: Restore a Previous Version from OneDrive or SharePoint

If your document is saved to OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, or SharePoint, Word keeps a version history. You can roll back to a version that still contains the comments.

1. Open the document in Word
   Make sure the document is saved to a cloud location. Go to File > Info and click Version History. A pane opens on the right side of the screen listing all saved versions with timestamps.
2. Select a version before the comments were lost
   Click a version timestamp. Word opens that version in a separate read-only window. Scroll through the document to verify the comments are present.
3. Restore or copy the comments
   If the version has the comments, click the Restore button at the top of the version window. This replaces the current document with that version. Alternatively, copy the comments manually and paste them into your current document.

Method 4: Recover the File from the Windows Recycle Bin

If the document was deleted entirely and you need a version with comments, the Recycle Bin may still hold the file.

1. Open the Recycle Bin on your desktop
   Double-click the Recycle Bin icon. If you cannot find it, press the Windows key, type Recycle Bin, and press Enter.
2. Search for the document file
   Use the search box in the upper-right corner of the Recycle Bin window. Type the document name or part of it. Files are listed with their original location and deletion date.
3. Restore the file
   Right-click the document and select Restore. The file returns to its original folder. Open it in Word and check whether the comments are present. If the comments are there, copy them to your working document.

If Comments Are Still Missing After Recovery

Word Shows No Unsaved Versions

If the Recover Unsaved Documents list is empty, Word did not autosave a version before the comments were lost. This happens when autosave is disabled or when the document was open for less than the autosave interval. To prevent this in the future, enable File > Options > Save > Save AutoRecover information every 1 minute and keep the last autosaved version if I close without saving.

Version History Shows Only One Version

If the document is saved locally rather than to OneDrive or SharePoint, version history is not available. Move the file to a cloud folder by using File > Save As and selecting a OneDrive location. After that, Word will automatically track versions.

Comments Were Deleted by a Collaborator

In a shared document, another user may have deleted the comments. Check the Version History as described in Method 3. You can also use the Reviewing pane to see who deleted comments if Track Changes is enabled. Go to Review > Show Markup and ensure Comments is checked. Then open the Reviewing pane to view the deletion history.

Word Online vs Desktop: Comment Recovery Options

Item	Word Desktop	Word Online
Undo (Ctrl+Z)	Works immediately after deletion	Works immediately after deletion
Recover Unsaved Documents	Available via File > Info	Not available
Version History	Only for cloud-saved files	Available for all cloud-saved files
Recycle Bin Recovery	Available if file was deleted	Not applicable (files are in cloud)
Autosave Interval	Configurable in Options	Automatic, every few seconds

You now have four methods to recover lost comments in Word. Start with Ctrl+Z if the document is still open. If that fails, use the Recover Unsaved Documents feature or check version history on OneDrive or SharePoint. For a permanently deleted file, check the Recycle Bin. To avoid losing comments in the future, enable autosave every 1 minute and save documents to OneDrive so version history is always available. As an advanced tip, you can also use File > Info > Manage Document > Check for Issues > Inspect Document to see if comments are hidden in the document metadata.