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How to Add and Reply to Comments in Excel

Tap each step to follow along in order.

  1. Select the cell you want to comment on

    Click the cell where you want to leave a note or question.

  2. Click "Review > New Comment"

    On the "Review" tab, click "New Comment" to open the comment box.

  3. Type your comment

    Type the explanation or question you want to share in the box.

  4. Reply to a comment

    A collaborator can reply directly to your comment to keep a back-and-forth conversation attached to that cell.

  5. Why is this useful?

    You can attach explanations about formulas or data directly to the cell instead of writing a separate document, so anyone you share the file with understands your intent without confusion.

For sharing a spreadsheet with complex formulas

Instead of writing a separate document to explain a complex formula or dataset, you can leave a comment directly on the cell, so anyone you share the file with immediately understands your intent.

Comments are not the same as the older Notes feature

Modern Excel actually has two separate features that look similar: threaded Comments, which support back-and-forth replies for real collaboration, and the older, simpler Notes, which are plain text with no reply option -- worth knowing which one you're actually using.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Comments the same as the older Notes feature?

Comments support replies and real-time collaboration in a threaded format, while Notes are the older, simpler feature that only holds plain text with no reply option.

How can I tell which cells have a comment?

A cell with a comment shows a small colored indicator in its top-right corner, so you can spot it at a glance.