SharePoint can show comments in more than one way. Sometimes you’re attaching a note to the document file itself; other times you’re commenting on specific text, cells, or slides inside the file using Office.
The right steps depend on what your organization has enabled, which app you’re using (SharePoint vs. Word/Excel/PowerPoint), and whether you need document-level feedback or in-content review.
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This guide covers all the viable ways to add comments to a document in SharePoint—so you can pick the method that matches your permissions and your workflow.
What Counts as Comments in SharePoint (and Why the Method Changes)
In practice, “comments on a SharePoint document” falls into three categories.
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- Document-level comments (file thread): Feedback attached to the document item in the library (often with a comment box on the file’s properties/flyout).
- In-content comments: Notes anchored to text, shapes, or spreadsheet cells inside the document. These are implemented by Word/Excel/PowerPoint.
- External discussion threads (workarounds): Teams or a SharePoint List record that you use to track feedback when file-level comments aren’t available.
If you’re expecting “comments” but you only see Office comments (or vice versa), it usually means you’re using a different layer of the platform.
Prerequisites and Permissions Checklist
Before you spend time clicking around, confirm the basics. Many “missing comments” issues are permissions or capability related.
- You have at least Edit permissions on the document library or the specific folder/item.
- Office for the web is enabled for your tenant, and your file type is supported.
- The document is opened in an Office app that supports comments (Word/Excel/PowerPoint).
- You’re signed into the same Microsoft 365 account you use for SharePoint.
- File type compatibility: Comments work best with modern Office formats (for example, .docx, .xlsx, .pptx). Scanned PDFs and images generally don’t support embedded Office comments.
- Comments policy: Some organizations disable comments at the library or site level.
If you’re not sure who enabled what, check with your SharePoint admin or IT. A small policy change can remove the option entirely.
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Some SharePoint document libraries show a comment thread directly on the file item. The labels vary by UI update, but the flow is similar: select the file, open its details, and post a comment.
Use this when you want a general file-level note (not attached to exact text or cells).
Steps (SharePoint Online)
- Open your document library in a browser (Chrome, Edge, or Safari).
- Find the document and hover or select it (checkbox or single click).
- Choose … (More) or Details (wording varies).
- Look for a Comments area or Add a comment box in the details pane.
- Type your comment and press Enter or click Send.
- Use @mentions (if available) to notify specific people.
If you don’t see any comments field in the file details, don’t assume it’s “broken.” It may not be enabled for your library/site, or your tenant may only support in-content comments via Office.
Method 2: Comment on the Document Content Using Office (Word/Excel/PowerPoint)
This is the most consistent approach because Office handles comments inside the file. It works when you need review anchored to exact wording, data cells, or slides.
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Platform: Word Web (Works from SharePoint in the browser)
You can open a Word document from SharePoint and add comments directly in the browser version of Word.
- In SharePoint, click your .docx file to open it in the Office web viewer.
- Click Edit document (if prompted).
- Select the text (or place your cursor where the comment should go).
- Click Review in the top ribbon.
- Choose New Comment.
- Type your comment and click Post (or press Ctrl+Enter depending on UI).
- To view threads, open the comments pane from Review → Comments.
If you see only “View” mode, switch to “Edit document.” Some comment tools are hidden in read-only states.
Platform: Excel Web
Excel comments are anchored to specific cells, which is ideal for calculations review.
- Open your .xlsx file from SharePoint.
- Click Edit workbook if it appears.
- Right-click the cell (or select the range).
- Choose New Comment (or Insert Comment depending on UI).
- Type the note and click Post.
- Open Review → Show Comments to review all threads.
If your spreadsheet is protected or locked, comments may be disabled—see the troubleshooting section.
Platform: PowerPoint for the web
PowerPoint web comments are tied to slides and can speed up review for presentations.
- Open your .pptx from SharePoint.
- Click Edit if prompted.
- Select the text box, object, or click where you want feedback.
- Go to Review → New Comment.
- Type your message and post it.
When the comments pane is open, you can jump between comment targets.
Platform: Word/Excel/PowerPoint Desktop (Microsoft 365 Apps)
Desktop apps often provide the richest commenting experience, especially for larger teams.
- From SharePoint, click the file to open it in the Office desktop app (you may see an option like Open in desktop app).
- When the document opens, ensure it’s in Editing mode.
- For Word/PowerPoint: go to Review → New Comment.
- For Excel: go to Review → New Comment (or right-click a cell).
- Type your comment, then post it (often automatically on leaving the comment box).
Comments stay attached to the file in SharePoint. When you save, the updated comment threads sync for collaborators.
Platform: iPhone / iPad (Word, Excel, PowerPoint mobile)
Mobile comments are useful for quick feedback, but UI varies by app version.
- Open the document from the SharePoint or OneDrive app (or share into the Office mobile app).
- Open the file in Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
- Tap the content area you want to comment on.
- Tap + (or Comment) if shown, then type your message.
- Post the comment and check for the comment thread icon.
If you can’t find commenting controls on mobile, try adding the comment on desktop or the web version, then review the thread later.
Platform: Mac (Word, Excel, PowerPoint desktop on macOS)
macOS supports Office comments in the desktop apps.
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- Open the file from SharePoint in the desktop app (Word/Excel/PowerPoint).
- Select text or a cell/object target.
- Use Review (or the review/comment tools) to create a New Comment.
- Type and post.
If the app is in compatibility or restricted mode, comments may be limited.
Method 3: Use a SharePoint List as a “Comment Thread” for Each Document
If your library doesn’t show a file-level comments box, you can still build a reliable review thread. The pattern is simple: store comments in a SharePoint List that references the document.
Use this when you need consistent commenting and @mentions, but SharePoint file-level comments aren’t available.
Setup (recommended structure)
- Create a new SharePoint List called something like Document Feedback.
- Add columns such as:
- Document Link (type: Document or hyperlink to the file)
- Version (text)
- Status (choice: Proposed, Approved, Needs changes)
- Comment (multiple lines of text)
- Reviewer (person)
- When a new comment is needed, create a new list item for that document/version or update an existing item.
- Enable views filtered by document so reviewers can quickly find the thread.
This approach won’t anchor feedback to exact document text like Office comments, but it gives you a predictable system for approvals and follow-ups.
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Method 4: Use Microsoft Teams for Document Discussions Linked to SharePoint
Teams is often the most practical place for conversations, especially for projects with ongoing review cycles.
Use this when you want a persistent discussion thread and notifications, not in-file markup.
Workflow
- Create or use a Team and channel that matches the project.
- Upload or link the SharePoint document inside the channel (commonly via a file post).
- Reply directly in the channel thread.
- Use @mentions to alert reviewers.
- Optionally, pin the message so the latest version is easy to find.
Teams discussion is great for coordination, while Office comments remain best for markup-level review.
Method 5: Use “Request an eSignature” or SharePoint Workflow Alternatives (When You Need Approvals)
Sometimes “comments” really mean review/approval actions with an audit trail. In those cases, electronic signature and approval flows can be more appropriate than free-form comments.
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Use this when compliance matters (approval tracking, timestamps, signatures).
Practical options
- Microsoft eSignature flows: request approvals and include messages for signers.
- Power Automate approval flows: route the document, capture reviewer feedback, and store it in a log.
- SharePoint custom workflow (older deployments): possible in some environments, but less common in new builds.
If you tell your admin you need comment-style feedback plus auditability, they’ll usually recommend an approval workflow over plain commenting.
Edge Cases and Gotchas (Common Reasons Comments Don’t Appear)
Even when you know where the button should be, a few conditions can hide comments.
- Viewing vs editing: Comments typically require editing permissions and an editable session.
- Document is checked out: If your library uses check-out/lock patterns, only certain users may comment.
- File type doesn’t support it: PDFs and images don’t support Word-style anchored comments by default.
- Protected document: If the Office document is protected for review, comment creation can be disabled.
- Browser limitations: Older browsers can break Office web commenting. Use a current version of Edge or Chrome.
- Feature not enabled in tenant/library: Document-level file comments may be turned off.
When in doubt, try the Office in-browser method first, because it uses Office’s comment system rather than the library UI.
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If you can’t add comments, work through this in order. Most issues resolve within a few checks.
1) Verify you can edit the file
Open the document and confirm there’s an Edit or Edit document option. If you only see view mode, you may be permission-restricted.
2) Confirm the correct app is handling the comment
Document-level comments (SharePoint UI) and in-content comments (Word/Excel/PowerPoint) are separate. If you’re expecting one but using the other, you won’t find the controls you need.
3) Try Office web vs desktop
- Open the file in browser and look for Review → New Comment.
- If it still fails, open in the desktop app.
- Save the file after posting a comment and refresh the SharePoint page.
If the comment posts in desktop but not web, the browser session could be missing required capabilities.
4) Check coauthoring state
If the document is mid-sync, or someone is holding an exclusive lock, your session might not allow comments. Refresh the page and try again after a short wait.
5) If comments exist but don’t show, refresh permissions and view filters
- Check whether you’re filtering the comments pane or document threads.
- Sign out and sign back in if the account context changed (especially on shared devices).
- Try an Incognito/Private window to rule out stale cached scripts.
6) For document-level comments only: confirm your library supports them
If you don’t see any comments box in the file details pane, it may be disabled. Ask your SharePoint admin to check library capabilities, or switch to Office in-content comments (Method 2) or Teams/List workarounds (Methods 3–4).
Comparing Methods: What You Should Use in Each Situation
Use this table to choose quickly.
| Goal | Best Method | What Reviewers See |
|---|---|---|
| General feedback on a specific file | Method 1 (Document-level comments) | A comment thread tied to the file item |
| Review exact text/cells/slides | Method 2 (Office comments) | Anchored comments inside the document |
| Structured feedback with status tracking | Method 3 (SharePoint List) | List items/entries per document or version |
| Ongoing team conversation with notifications | Method 4 (Teams) | Channel thread replies linked to the file |
| Approvals with audit trail | Method 5 (eSignature/approvals) | Approval steps + recorded decisions |
If you’re unsure, start with Method 2 for in-content review because it’s consistently supported for Word/Excel/PowerPoint files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add comments to a PDF in SharePoint?
Not in the same anchored way as Word/Excel/PowerPoint. If your tenant supports PDF commenting via an embedded viewer, you may see tools, but many SharePoint setups don’t. A reliable workaround is to convert content to Word for review, or use Teams/List threads for general feedback.
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Common causes include permission differences (View vs Edit), document locking, or the comments being added in a different layer (Office content comments vs SharePoint file-level comments). Check that you’re signed in with the correct account and that the reviewers open the file in the same Office app mode.
Do Office comments automatically sync back to SharePoint?
Yes for supported Office file types when coauthoring is enabled and the app saves/syncs the updated document state. If a comment was posted but doesn’t appear, refresh the SharePoint page and confirm you’re opening the latest version.
What’s the difference between “comments” and “notes” in SharePoint?
SharePoint UI can show different fields depending on the library feature set. In most cases, “comments” are threaded discussion entries, while “notes” are a simpler text field. When the library doesn’t support threaded file comments, it may still allow metadata fields like notes.
Can I mention someone in SharePoint comments?
Many configurations support @mentions in Office comment threads and sometimes in SharePoint document-level comment threads. If you don’t see mention suggestions, your library or tenant may have mentions disabled—or you’re using a UI that doesn’t implement mentions.
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Bottom Line
If you need precise review tied to the content, use Office comments (Word/Excel/PowerPoint) opened from SharePoint. If you need a general discussion about the file itself, use SharePoint document-level comments when available—or fall back to Teams or a SharePoint List for consistent threads.
When comments are missing, it’s usually permissions, file type support, or a feature toggle in your library. Use the troubleshooting steps above to isolate which layer you should switch to.
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