Are you preparing a Word document for printing and want to keep those helpful (or not-so-helpful!) comments hidden? Printing a document littered with comments can be distracting and unprofessional. Luckily, Microsoft Word provides several reliable methods to discreetly conceal your comments before sending your document to the printer. This guide will walk you through trusted techniques to ensure your final printout is clean and polished.
Understanding the Importance of Hiding Comments Before Printing
Before diving into the "how-to," let's understand why hiding comments before printing is essential. Imagine sending a client a report filled with internal notes, edits, or even casual conversations embedded within the text. It looks unprofessional, right? Hidden comments maintain the document's integrity while preserving valuable feedback for later reference. This is especially important for:
- Professional Documents: Reports, proposals, presentations, and legal documents should always be clean and free from distracting comments before printing.
- Client Deliverables: Ensure your final deliverable maintains a professional image without revealing internal discussions or editing notes.
- Confidential Information: Protect sensitive information by keeping comments hidden from unauthorized viewers.
Methods to Hide Comments in Word Before Printing
Here are a few reliable methods to effectively hide comments in your Word document before you hit the print button:
Method 1: The Simple "Print What" Option
This is the most straightforward method. Word offers a built-in setting that allows you to specifically choose what gets printed.
- Open the Print Dialog Box: Go to File > Print.
- Choose "Print What": Locate the "Print What" section (often a dropdown menu).
- Select "Document": This option ensures only the main text of your document gets printed, excluding comments, revisions, and other markup.
- Print: Click the "Print" button.
Pro-Tip: Double-check your settings before printing!
Method 2: Using the "Comments" Display Option
This method temporarily hides the comments on your screen, so you can review the document's appearance before printing.
- Navigate to the Review Tab: Click on the "Review" tab on the Word ribbon.
- Locate the "Show Markup" Option: Find the "Show Markup" section.
- Choose "No Markup": This hides all comments, tracked changes, and other markup.
- Preview and Print: Check your document's appearance. If it looks good, proceed to print as usual.
Method 3: Manually Deleting Comments (For Permanent Removal)
This is a permanent solution. Use this only if you no longer need the comments.
- Select the Comment: Click on the comment bubble you want to remove.
- Delete the Comment: Right-click on the selected comment and choose "Delete Comment."
- Repeat for all Comments: Repeat this process for all comments you wish to remove.
- Print: Once all comments are deleted, you can print the document.
Choosing the Right Method: A Quick Summary
- Method 1 ("Print What"): Best for a quick and easy way to print only the main document text.
- Method 2 ("Show Markup"): Ideal for reviewing the document's printed appearance without comments before printing.
- Method 3 (Manual Deletion): Use this only if you are certain you no longer need the comments.
By following these trusted methods, you can easily control what appears in your printed Word document, creating professional and polished output every time. Remember to always double-check your settings before printing to avoid any unwanted surprises!
