Add, edit, or delete a comment
In Microsoft Office Excel, you can add a note to a cell by inserting a comment. You can edit the text in comments and delete comments that you no longer need.
What do you want to do?
Add a comment
- Click the cell that you want to add a comment to.
- On the
Reviewtab, in theCommentsgroup, clickNew Comment.
- In the comment text box, type the comment text.
Note In a comment, Excel automatically displays the name that appears in the
Namebox underGlobal Office Settingson thePersonalizecategory of theExcel Optionsdialog box (Microsoft Office Button
, Excel Optionsbutton). If needed, you can edit the name in theNamebox. If you don't want to use a name, select it in the comment, and then press DELETE. - To format the text, select it, and then use the formatting options on the
Hometab in theFontgroup.
Note The
Fill ColorandFont Coloroptions in theFontgroup are not available for comment text. To change the color of the text, right-click the comment, and then clickFormat Comment. - When you finish typing and formatting the text, click outside of the comment box.
Tip A small red triangle in the corner of the cell indicates that the cell has a comment attached to it. When you rest the pointer over the red triangle, the comment is displayed.
Notes:
- To keep a comment visible with the cell, you can select the cell that contains the comment and then click
Show/Hide Commentin theCommentsgroup on theReviewtab. To display all comments with their cells on the worksheet, clickShow All Comments. - When you sort, comments are sorted along with the data. In PivotTable reports, however, comments do not move with the cell when you change the layout of the report.
Edit a comment
- Click the cell that contains the comment that you want to edit.
- Do one of the following:
- On the
Reviewtab, in theCommentsgroup, clickEdit Comment.Note
Edit Commentis available in theCommentsgroup instead ofNew Commentwhen a cell that contains a comment is selected. - On the
Reviewtab, in theCommentsgroup, clickShow/Hide Commentto display the comment, and then double-click the text in the comment. -

- On the
- In the comment text box, edit the comment text.
- To format the text, select it, and then use the formatting options on the
Hometab in theFontgroup.
Note The
Fill ColorandFont Coloroptions in theFontgroup are not available for comment text. To change the color of the text, right-click the comment, and then clickFormat Comment.
Delete a comment
- Click the cell that contains the comment that you want to delete.
- Do one of the following:
- On the
Reviewtab, in theCommentsgroup, clickDelete. - On the
Reviewtab, in theCommentsgroup, clickShow/Hide Commentto display the comment, double-click the comment text box, and then press DELETE. -

- On the