You need to get a colleague’s attention on a specific sentence or table in a shared Word document. The mention feature in comments lets you tag someone by name, which sends them an email notification with a direct link to that comment. This article explains how to use the @mention in Word comments, what your coworkers need to have set up to receive notifications, and how to avoid common mistakes like typing a wrong name or missing a reply.
Key Takeaways: Using @mentions in Word Comments
- @mention in a comment: Type @ followed by the person’s name to tag them and send a notification.
- Reviewing pane > New Comment > @name: The only way to trigger a notification is by using @mention inside a comment or reply.
- File > Info > Manage Document > Resolve: Mark a comment thread as resolved when the issue is finished so coworkers do not get confused by old mentions.
What the Mention Feature Does and What It Requires
The mention feature in Word comments is part of Microsoft 365 collaboration tools. When you type @ and then a person’s name in a comment, Word resolves that name against your organization’s directory. The tagged person receives an email notification that includes the document name, the comment text, and a link that opens the document to that exact comment.
To use mentions, you need a Microsoft 365 subscription. The document must be saved to OneDrive, SharePoint, or Microsoft 365 Groups. The person you mention must also be in your organization’s directory. If you type a name that Word cannot find, the text stays as plain text and no notification is sent.
Prerequisites for the Sender
You must be signed into Word with your work or school account. Your document must be stored in the cloud. Local .docx files do not support mention notifications.
Prerequisites for the Receiver
The coworker must have a valid email address in your organization’s directory. Their notification settings in Microsoft 365 must allow email alerts for document mentions. By default, this is enabled.
Steps to Mention a Coworker in a Word Comment
Follow these steps to tag someone and trigger a notification.
- Open the document and select the text
Open the document that is saved to OneDrive or SharePoint. Select the word, sentence, or table cell that you want to comment on. - Create a new comment
Go to the Review tab on the ribbon. Click New Comment. A comment balloon or the reviewing pane opens. - Type the @ symbol
In the comment text box, type @. A small menu appears showing names from your organization’s directory. - Select the correct person
Start typing the person’s first or last name. The list filters as you type. Click the correct name. Word inserts the name with a blue highlight and adds their email alias behind the scenes. - Finish the comment and post it
Type any additional text after the name. Press Ctrl + Enter or click the Post button (paper airplane icon) to submit the comment. An email notification is sent to the tagged person within a few minutes.
Replying to a Comment With a Mention
You can also mention someone in a reply to an existing comment thread.
- Open the comment thread
Click the comment balloon in the document or open the reviewing pane. - Click Reply
Type @ and select the person’s name from the directory. - Post the reply
Press Ctrl + Enter to send. The person gets a notification even if they were not mentioned in the original comment.
Common Mistakes and Limitations of the Mention Feature
The @mention does not show any names
If you type @ and no names appear, the document is not saved to a cloud location. Save the file to OneDrive or SharePoint. If the document is already in the cloud, sign out of Word and sign back in with your work or school account.
The person did not receive the notification
Check that the person is in your organization’s directory. If you typed the name manually without selecting from the menu, Word treats it as plain text and does not send a notification. Delete the text and use the @ menu to select the name again. Also ask the person to check their spam folder for the email from Microsoft 365.
Mentioning someone outside your organization
You cannot mention a person who is not in your Microsoft 365 tenant. Guest users who have been invited to the tenant can be mentioned only if they have a valid account in the directory. External collaborators without a guest account receive no notification.
Notifications are delayed or missing on mobile
The Outlook mobile app or the Word mobile app may delay notifications by up to 15 minutes. For fastest delivery, use the desktop version of Outlook or the browser version of Word.
Word Desktop vs Word Online: Mention Behavior Differences
| Item | Word Desktop | Word Online |
|---|---|---|
| @mention menu appearance | Appears after typing @ and a few letters | Appears instantly when @ is typed |
| Post comment shortcut | Ctrl + Enter | Ctrl + Enter or click Post button |
| Notification speed | 1-5 minutes typically | 1-5 minutes typically |
| Offline document support | No mentions work offline | Not applicable (browser only) |
| Resolve thread | Right-click comment > Resolve thread | Click three dots > Resolve thread |
The mention feature works the same way in both versions for the core task of tagging a coworker. The main difference is the keyboard shortcut to post and the way you resolve a comment thread.
You can now use the @mention in Word comments to notify coworkers about specific parts of a document. Make sure the file is saved to OneDrive or SharePoint before you start. Next time you collaborate on a report, try replying to an existing comment with an @mention instead of creating a new comment thread. For faster notifications, ask your coworkers to keep Outlook open in the browser or desktop app.