To print a Word document without comments, select File > Print, open the first menu under Settings (it usually says Print All Pages), and clear the check mark next to Print Markup. The preview updates straight away, and your comments stay in the document; they just don’t print. On a Mac or in Word for the web, switch the Review tab to No Markup before printing instead.
Applies to: Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016 on Windows and Mac, and Word for the web. Last reviewed October 7, 2026.
Method 1: Turn off Print Markup (Windows)
- Open the document and press Ctrl + P, or select File > Print.
- Under Settings, select the first menu, labeled Print All Pages or the page range you chose.
- Near the bottom of the menu, select Print Markup to remove its check mark.
- Check the preview on the right. The comment balloons and the margin space they used should be gone.
- Select Print.
Print Markup also controls tracked changes. With it off, Word prints the document as it currently reads, showing your changes as if they’d been accepted, without the colored markup.
Word may remember this choice for your next print job, so turn Print Markup back on when you want the comments printed again.
Method 2: Switch to No Markup (Windows, Mac and web)
This hides comments and tracked changes on screen as well, and whatever you see is what prints.
- Select the Review tab.
- In the Tracking group, open the display menu. It usually says Simple Markup or All Markup.
- Choose No Markup.
- Print as usual with Ctrl + P (Command + P on a Mac).
- Switch the menu back to Simple Markup or All Markup to see the comments again.
If the document has tracked changes, No Markup prints the edited version. Choose Original instead to print the text as it was before anyone made changes.
In Word for the web, the display menu is under Review > Tracking. Word for the web turns the document into a PDF to print, and it usually leaves comments out.
Method 3: Save a PDF without comments
Use this when you need to send a clean copy rather than print one.
- Select File > Save As and choose a folder.
- Set Save as type to PDF.
- Select Options.
- Under Publish what, choose Document, not Document showing markup, and select OK.
- Select Save.
On a Mac, set the Review tab to No Markup first, then select File > Save As and choose PDF.
Method 4: Delete the comments for a final copy
Hiding comments doesn’t remove them. Anyone you send the Word file to can still see them. If the document is finished, delete them.
- Save a copy first with File > Save a Copy, so you keep a version with the comments.
- Select Review > the arrow under Delete in the Comments group.
- Choose Delete All Comments in Document.
- To clear tracked changes too, select Accept > Accept All Changes.
To check for anything else hidden, such as personal information or hidden text, use File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document.
Print only the comments
Sometimes you want the opposite: a list of every comment to review on paper. In File > Print, open the first menu under Settings and choose List of Markup. Word prints each comment and tracked change with the page it’s on and who made it. To change the name that appears, see how to change your comment name in Word.
Troubleshooting
Print Markup is greyed out or missing
The document has no comments or tracked changes, so there’s nothing to hide. If you can still see notes on the page, they may be text boxes or shapes rather than comments. Select one and delete it, or check Home > Select > Selection Pane.
Comments still print after turning off Print Markup
Check the preview before you print. If you print from a PDF you made earlier, the comments are part of that PDF. Make a new one with Method 3.
The page is smaller than normal in the printout
Word shrinks the page to make room for comment balloons. Turning off Print Markup brings it back to full size.
Tracked changes print in color
No Markup and turning off Print Markup both hide them. To deal with them for good, see how to use Track Changes in Word.
Frequently asked questions
Does hiding comments delete them?
No. Both Print Markup and No Markup only change what’s shown or printed. The comments stay in the file.
Will the person I send the document to see the comments?
Yes, if you send the Word file. Send a PDF made with Method 3, or delete the comments first.
Can I print some comments but not others?
Yes. On the Review tab, select Show Markup > Specific People and clear the reviewers you don’t want, then print with Print Markup on.
Related: how to scale a document in Word.
Related: how to copy comments from one Word document to another.
Related: how to compare documents in Word.
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.