How to Print a Document Without Comments

Printing without comments creates a copy that does not show review notes in the margins or comment threads. The comments usually remain in the editable file; this changes what appears on the printed page, not necessarily the document itself. Before printing, check the preview so you can confirm that comments and other markup are absent.

What You’ll Need

The document open in the app where you plan to print it, such as Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
A printer, or the option to save or export the document as a PDF.
Permission to change the document’s view or print settings. You generally do not need to delete comments.

Step-by-Step

Open the document. Use the app that contains the document or the app you will use to print it. If the file is open in a browser or preview window, check whether that window’s print command includes comments; when in doubt, open the file in its editing app.
Check which app you are using. The controls differ between Word, Google Docs, and other editors. The steps below explain the common Word and Google Docs options. Menu names and paths can vary slightly by app version, operating system, and account.
In Word, open Print settings. Select File > Print (the menu path may differ slightly by version). Look for the print setting labeled Print Markup or an option that includes markup. Clear that option, or select Document rather than a version with markup, if your version offers that choice. Comments are part of markup, so turning off markup printing should exclude them.
In Google Docs, hide comments before printing. Open the document and close or dismiss any visible comment threads. Then use File > Print (the menu path may differ slightly by version) and inspect the print preview. Google Docs does not necessarily provide the same comment-print toggle as Word; if comments still appear, use the clean-copy method in the next step instead of assuming they are hidden just because the threads are closed.
Make a clean copy if needed. If your app cannot reliably exclude comments, create a separate copy for printing. In Word, use the option to accept or reject tracked changes only if you also intend to remove those edits from the copy; comments and tracked changes are different. In Google Docs, make a copy and remove comments from that copy if you need to guarantee they will not appear. Do not delete comments from the original unless you want them removed there too. Menu names may vary slightly by version.
Preview, then print or save as PDF. In the print preview, check every page, especially pages with comments or review notes. If the pages look clean, select the printer and print, or choose a PDF destination to save a clean copy. Reopen the saved PDF and check it before sharing or printing it elsewhere.

Common Mistakes

Confusing comments with tracked changes: Turning off comment display may not hide inserted text, deletions, or formatting changes. In Word, tracked changes are separate markup. Decide whether you want to preserve the edited text as shown, print the original text, or print a final version with changes accepted. Work on a copy if accepting or rejecting changes would alter the document.

Closing a comment thread and assuming it is removed: Closing or resolving a thread is not the same as deleting it, and may not affect what the print view includes. Always check the preview. If a clean print is essential and the preview still shows comments, use a separate copy with the comments removed.

Printing from the wrong window: A browser’s print command may use a simplified page view or handle annotations differently from the document editor. Open the file in its editing app, or export a PDF from the editor and inspect that PDF.

Changing the original by accident: Deleting comments, resolving threads, or accepting changes can affect other people who use the file. Make a copy first if you need to remove material rather than merely hide it for printing.

Tips

Use the print preview as the final check; the document’s on-screen view is not always the same as the printed output.
If you need to keep the comments for later review, turn off markup printing rather than deleting the comments.
For a document that will be printed on another computer, save a PDF after confirming the preview. A PDF is easier to check for unwanted comment bubbles before sending it to a printer.
If the file contains confidential comments, inspect the PDF and the document copy before sharing. Hiding comments for printing does not remove them from the source file.
When preparing a final version, consider whether tracked changes, footnotes, and other annotations should also appear. Adjust those separately and verify the result page by page.

Troubleshooting

Comments still appear in the preview: Return to the editor’s print settings and look for a markup or annotations option. In Word, make sure markup printing is off. In Google Docs, closing comment threads may not be enough; print a copy with comments removed, then inspect its preview. Avoid modifying the original unless that is intended.

The print preview is blank or does not update: Close the preview and reopen it from the document editor. Confirm that the correct document and printer or PDF destination are selected. If necessary, save a copy, close and reopen the app, and check the preview again.

Comments are absent, but edits still show: You may be seeing tracked changes rather than comments. Decide which version of the text you want, then use the review controls in a copy to accept or reject changes as appropriate. Check the resulting document before printing.

A PDF has comments even though the pages looked clean: Open the saved PDF in a viewer and inspect it. Some apps export or include annotations differently from their print preview. Return to the source app, disable the relevant markup or annotation option, and export again; if needed, make a clean copy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will printing without comments delete them from my document?

Usually, no. Turning off markup printing changes the output, not the source document. Deleting comments or removing them from a copy is a separate action.

Can I print a Word document without comments but keep tracked changes?

Yes, if your Word version lets you turn off printing markup while leaving the document’s displayed changes as desired. Check the preview because tracked changes and comments are separate, and settings can vary slightly by version.

Does closing comments in Google Docs keep them off the printed page?

Not necessarily. Closing a thread hides it from the current view but does not guarantee that it will be excluded from printing. Check the preview; if comments remain, print from a copy with them removed.

Can I save a document without comments as a PDF?

Yes. Use the editor’s print or export option and choose a PDF destination, then open the PDF and confirm that no comments appear. If they do, adjust the source document or make a clean copy and export again.

How do I remove comments permanently?

Use the app’s comment controls to delete comments, or make a copy and remove them there. Deleting comments can be difficult to undo and may affect collaborators, so preserve the original if you might need the notes.

Sources: Microsoft Support. Menus and buttons can differ slightly by version. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.