How to Reply to a Comment in Teams

What You’ll Need

A Microsoft Teams account (work, school, or personal).
The Teams desktop app, web browser version, or mobile app installed and signed in.
Access to the team or chat where the comment was posted (you must be a member).

Step-by-Step

Open the conversation: Go to the channel or chat that contains the comment you want to reply to. In a channel, click the team name in the left sidebar, then select the channel. In a chat, click the conversation from your chat list.
Locate the comment: Scroll through the posts or messages until you find the specific comment. In a channel, comments are shown under a main post; in a chat, each message is a separate comment.
Hover over the comment: Move your mouse pointer over the comment bubble. A small row of icons appears at the top-right corner of the comment (on desktop) or when you tap and hold (on mobile).
Click the reply icon: Look for the curved arrow icon (similar to a reply arrow). On desktop, it’s usually the second icon from the left. On mobile, tap the three dots (…) and choose “Reply” from the menu. This opens a reply box directly under the comment.
Type and send your reply: Write your message in the reply box. You can format text using the toolbar (bold, italic, emojis, etc.). Press Enter (or click the send paper plane icon) to post your reply. Your reply appears indented under the original comment, keeping the thread organized.

Common Mistakes

Replying to the post instead of the comment: In a channel, clicking “Reply” at the bottom of the main post starts a new thread, not a reply to a specific comment. Always hover over the exact comment you want to respond to.
Using the wrong icon: The heart, thumbs up, and other reactions are not replies. The reply icon is the curved arrow, not a reaction emoji.
Forgetting to press Enter: On desktop, pressing Enter sends the reply. If you press Shift+Enter, you create a new line instead of sending. On mobile, you need to tap the send button.
Replying in the wrong channel: Make sure you’re in the correct team and channel. It’s easy to reply to a comment in a different channel if you have multiple windows open.

Tips

Use @mentions: Type @ followed by a person’s name to notify them directly in your reply. This is useful if you’re responding to someone else’s comment and want them to see it.
Format your reply: Use the formatting toolbar (bold, italics, bullet points) to make your reply clearer, especially for longer responses.
Edit or delete: After sending, hover over your reply, click the three dots (…), and choose “Edit” to correct a mistake or “Delete” to remove it. You can also delete a reply from the same menu.
Keep replies concise: In busy channels, short replies are easier to scan. If you need to share a long document, consider posting it as a separate message or file.
Check notifications: When someone replies to your comment, Teams shows a notification in your activity feed. You can click it to jump directly to that conversation.

Troubleshooting

I don’t see the reply icon: If you’re using the mobile app, the icons may be hidden. Tap and hold the comment to see the reply option. On desktop, make sure you’re hovering directly over the comment bubble, not the whitespace around it. If you’re in a chat, the reply icon is usually visible next to the message without hovering.

My reply didn’t send: Check your internet connection. If you pressed Enter and nothing happened, your message might have been lost. Try typing it again. Also, make sure you didn’t accidentally press Escape, which cancels the reply box.

I replied to the wrong comment: You can edit your reply to correct it, or delete it and post a new one. Hover over your reply, click the three dots, and select “Edit” or “Delete”.

The reply box is not appearing: Try refreshing the Teams app (Ctrl+R on desktop, or close and reopen the app on mobile). If the issue persists, sign out and sign back in. In rare cases, a browser cache issue might be the cause—try clearing your browser cache if using the web version.

I can’t reply to a comment in a channel: You might not have permission to post in that channel. Check with your team owner or IT admin. Also, if the channel is read-only or the post is locked, replies may be disabled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I reply to a comment in a private chat?

Yes, you can reply to any message in a private chat. Hover over the message, click the reply icon, and type your response. The reply appears as a new message in the chat, but it’s linked to the original message.

How do I reply to a comment on the mobile app?

On the Teams mobile app, tap and hold the comment you want to reply to. A menu appears with options including “Reply”. Tap it, type your message, and tap the send button (paper plane icon).

Can I reply to a comment with a file or image?

Yes, you can attach files, images, or emojis to your reply. In the reply box, click the paperclip icon to attach a file, or the emoji icon to add an emoji. On mobile, use the + icon to attach files.

What happens if I delete a comment that has replies?

If you delete a main comment (the first message in a thread), all replies to it are also deleted. If you delete just a reply, only that reply is removed. Be careful when deleting—there’s no undo.

Can I reply to a comment in a meeting chat?

Yes, during a Teams meeting, the chat is available. You can reply to any message in the meeting chat using the same hover-and-reply method. The chat remains available after the meeting for participants.

Why do some comments have a “Reply” button and others don’t?

In channels, only the main post has a “Reply” button that starts a new thread. Comments within that thread have the reply icon when you hover over them. In chats, every message has the reply icon. If you don’t see it, you may not have permission to reply, or the message might be from a bot or system notification.

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