When you’re collaborating on a Google Doc, it can sometimes be helpful to leave notes for the other people, or even have full conversations about potential issues, without actually changing the document itself. This wikiHow will teach you how to comment on a Google Doc.
Steps
Method 1
Method 1 of 2:
Using PC/Mac
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Log into Google Drive. To comment, you need to open a Google Document, so you have to log in at https://drive.google.com .
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Open the Google Document. After you log in, you can search for the document using the search box. You'll need to open either the shared file or your personal file, but ensure it's got the permissions to make some editing and/or commenting changes. Double-click the file from the file list, or open the link from wherever the link was shared to. Google Docs can still directly be found here , however.Advertisement
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3Find where you want to comment. Click and drag on the text in the document to select it. That is what you'll refer to in your comment. Comments are connected to specific pieces of text.
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Open the Add Comment feature. You can click the + sign inside the square button to the right of the document, or you can click the Comment inside the Insert menu at the top of the Google Docs page area. This gives you a box where you can add a comment. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + Alt + M (for Windows) or ⌘ Command + Alt + M (for Mac) [1] X Research source , once the text is selected.
- You can also add a comment under the Comment thread, where you can see all the comments that have been made.
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5Enter the comment. This might be your opinion, view, or suggestions.
- When tagging others with @, always add the @ first! Doing so, is standard format for tagging a comment for personal messages to be viewed and accepted form.
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Assign the comment if desired. You can designate and tag a recipient for your suggestion. Search by their name or email address, by preceding it with a plus (+) sign.
- You can assign the note to multiple users as well, by separating the email addresses with a comma ( , ).
- You can send notifications via email; you have to set the "Assign to" checkbox as checked. This will notify to users added in your comment.
- When you submit the comment, it will show "Assigned to" status at bottom of the comment box.
- An email will be sent to the assigned user which shows who has commented and what the comment says. They can open the document directly to see the details.
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7View your comment to the right-hand side of the document. It's tied to the text once you hover over the text, and anytime you click the comment's text, the document's comment text will highlight in orange.
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8Refine and respond to further comments as needed. You can edit, delete and send the link of comments to any person who has access to view or edit the document. Use comments as you collaborate and perfect your Doc! Clicking the text in the comment box will reveal the "Reply or add others with @" button. Type your follow-up text and click "Reply".
- If you are the only editor making comments, all comments for that Document selected text, will left-justify your comments.
- If you aren't, each message will indent to keep these comments in line between editors.
- If you are another editor on top of the original commenter and would like to chime in, most commenters will allow replies - to get enough details to make a decision.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:
Using the Mobile App
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1Open the document in Google Docs' mobile app. Although you'll be able to open and view it in Google Drive, all editing must be done in Google Docs.
- Sign into your Google account, if it's a publicly shared link. But sign into the Google account holding the file instead, if it's an account where you are the original owner.
- If you try to open up the Google Docs mobile website, you won't be able to; the device will notice and pull up the app download for Google Docs or it will open up the app for you to run it instead.
- These apps both have the traditional blue paper icon with a dog-eared right corner and several lines in the center, and titled "Docs". These apps can be found either here (for iPhone) or here (for Android).
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2Locate the spot where the comment is needed. You can scroll up and down until you find the spot, or zoom in and move left to right if you can't see all information it contains clearly.
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3Tap a word inside the comment. This word can be either the first word, a word inside the text, or the very last word. Wait for it to highlight, before completing the next step.
- If it doesn't highlight, or highlights the wrong word (outside the commentable area), you can try to re-select the word. (As you learn, it's easy to make mistakes, and not be able to select what you want.)
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4Grab towards the sides of the select and drag them up until the complete area is selected.
- If it was just one word, you can omit this step - just select the correct word from the previous step only.
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5Select "Add Comment" on the text selection bar (iPhone) or contextual action bar (Android). This bar should open just below the selected text, but you may have to tap the > button to find this selector.
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6Type your comment in the "Add a new comment" field. This line should be above the predictive text and keyboard areas, but below the document text where the selection is.
- You won't be able to move the document around, at this point, to see the content, but it won't have changed unless someone else changed it already.
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7Tap the Submit button. The submit button looks like a unfilled outline triangle (iPhone), or a filled triangle that's blue when active and grey when inactive (Android), but both will be to the right of your comment.
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8See proof of submission. Once the comment has been placed, the selection will be highlighted in a dark orange color, but to see the comment, you'll need to select a word from the highlighted text.
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9View the comment, if necessary, or to add a reply. From iPhone, you'll need to open the text selection bar and tap >, then tap View Comment, which should be on the left of the two comment choices. From Android, it'll be in the same spot.
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10Tap the "Add a reply" button choice at the bottom of the View Comment box, and fill in the reply.
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11Submit your reply. The submission button is found to the right of the comment as either a outline triangle (for iPhone) or a filled triangle (for Android) with blue (when active) or grey when inactive.Advertisement
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I reply to someone's comment in a Google Doc?ChristopherTop AnswererTo reply to a comment, click on the comment text and type your reply. In mobile apps, tap the "Add a reply" button in the View Comment box and enter your reply.
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References
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