Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel include several collaboration and review features such as Comments, Notes, Track Changes, Ink Annotations, and Markup. These features are extremely useful while documents are being reviewed, edited, audited, or shared between multiple users.

However, these annotations can create problems when you need a clean final printout for a customer, management report, invoice, audit file, official submission, presentation, or permanent record.

A document may look normal on the screen but unexpectedly print:

• Comments
• Comment balloons
• Reviewer names
• Deleted text
• Inserted text
• Formatting changes
• Track Changes markup
• Ink annotations
• Excel cell notes
• Extra pages containing comments
• Large right-side markup margins

This guide explains how to print clean documents from Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel without deleting the underlying comments or review information.

Important: Hiding Markup Is Not the Same as Deleting It

This distinction is extremely important.

If you disable Print Markup or choose No Markup, Word can produce a clean-looking printout while the tracked changes and comments may still remain stored inside the document.

Therefore:

Hide/disable printing when:

• You still need the comments later.
• The document is still being reviewed.
• You only need a clean paper or PDF copy.

Permanently remove the review information when:

• The document is final.
• You are sending the editable Word file to a customer.
• The document contains confidential internal comments.
• Reviewer names or internal discussions should not remain in the file.

Never assume that a clean printout means the underlying document is clean.

Part 1: Print a Microsoft Word Document Without Comments or Markup

Microsoft Word's Track Changes system can record:

• Insertions
• Deletions
• Formatting changes
• Comments
• Reviewer information
• Ink annotations

When markup printing is enabled, Word may print this information beside the document or inside markup balloons.

Method 1: Disable "Print Markup" Before Printing

This is normally the fastest method.

Steps

1. Open the Microsoft Word document.
2. Click File.
3. Select Print.
4. Locate the Settings section.
5. Click the menu that normally displays Print All Pages.
6. Look for Print Markup.
7. If a check mark appears beside Print Markup, click it to disable the option.
8. Examine the Print Preview.
9. Confirm that comments and revision balloons have disappeared.
10. Select your printer and click Print.

The document should now print without the review markup.

Method 2: Select "No Markup" Before Printing

Another useful method is changing the document's review display.

Go to:

Review → Tracking → Display for Review → No Markup

The document should display the final version without visible tracked-change markup.

Now use:

File → Print

Check the preview carefully before printing.

Important

No Markup does not permanently remove tracked changes.

It only changes how the document is displayed. The tracked changes may still exist inside the Word document.

What Does "Print Markup" Mean in Word?

When Print Markup is enabled, Word may include review information in the printed document.

Depending on the document and Word configuration, this can include:

• Tracked insertions
• Tracked deletions
• Comments
• Formatting changes
• Revision balloons
• Reviewer information
• Ink markup

For an ordinary final document, Print Markup should normally be disabled.

Why Does Word Print a Large Blank Area on the Right Side?

A common problem is that the Word document appears compressed toward the left side of the page while a large area appears on the right.

This frequently happens because Word is reserving space for markup balloons.

Check:

File → Print → Settings → Print Markup

Disable Print Markup and inspect the preview again.

If markup was causing the problem, the document should return to a more normal page layout.

How to Permanently Remove Track Changes From Word

If the document has reached its final stage, you may want to remove tracked revisions permanently instead of merely hiding them.

Go to:

Review → Changes

Use Accept or Reject to process the revisions.

For example, if all recorded changes are correct, you may use:

Accept → Accept All Changes

After processing the changes, turn off:

Review → Track Changes

Warning

Accepting or rejecting changes modifies the document.

Before processing a heavily reviewed document, consider keeping a backup copy.

How to Remove Word Comments Permanently

If comments contain internal discussions or confidential information, simply hiding them from the printout may not be sufficient.

Review the document's comments and delete those that should not remain in the final file.

This is particularly important when sending the original .docx file outside your organization.

Clean Print vs Clean Document

These two requirements should not be confused.

Clean Print

You only want comments and revisions excluded from paper/PDF output.

Use:

File → Print → Disable Print Markup

Clean Document

You want the review information permanently removed from the Word file.

You should:

1. Accept or reject tracked changes.
2. Delete unnecessary comments.
3. Turn off Track Changes.
4. Review the document again.
5. Save the final version separately.

Part 2: Print Microsoft Excel Without Comments or Notes

Excel requires slightly different handling because modern Excel distinguishes between Comments and Notes.

Excel Comments vs Notes

In modern Microsoft 365 Excel:

Comments

Comments are designed primarily for conversations and collaboration.

They can support:

• Replies
• Discussion threads
• User identification
• @mentions
• Collaboration between workbook users

Notes

Notes are the traditional Excel cell annotations previously known as comments in older Excel releases.

They are useful for:

• Explanations
• Instructions
• Reminders
• Cell-specific information
• Internal documentation

Understanding this distinction is important when troubleshooting Excel printing.

How to Prevent Excel Comments and Notes From Printing

A reliable place to check the worksheet's annotation printing configuration is Excel's Page Setup.

Steps

1. Open the Excel workbook.
2. Select the required worksheet.
3. Open the Page Layout tab.
4. Locate the Page Setup group.
5. Click the small Page Setup dialog launcher.
6. Open the Sheet tab.
7. Locate the Comments and notes or Comments printing option, depending on your Excel version.
8. Configure the option so annotations are not included in the output.
9. Click Print Preview or open File → Print.
10. Confirm that the comments/notes are absent.
11. Print the worksheet.

Menu names can differ slightly between Excel versions.

Excel Annotation Printing Options

Depending on your version of Excel, Page Setup may provide options such as:

At End of Sheet

Comments/notes are collected and printed separately after the worksheet data.

This can be useful for audit or review purposes.

As Displayed on Sheet

Visible legacy notes can be printed approximately where they appear on the worksheet.

This is particularly relevant to Excel Notes.

None / No Annotation Printing

Where available in your Excel version, select the option that prevents comments or notes from being included.

Always confirm the final result using Print Preview.

Microsoft 365 Limitation for Threaded Comments

Modern Microsoft 365 Excel handles threaded comments differently from legacy Notes.

Threaded comments are designed for conversations. Microsoft 365 can print threaded comments and notes at the end of the sheet, while legacy Notes can also be printed as displayed on the worksheet.

Therefore, instructions written for older Excel versions may not exactly match the options available in a current Microsoft 365 installation.

How to Hide Excel Comment and Note Indicators

Sometimes users do not want to remove a comment or note but want to control the indicators displayed in cells.

Go to:

File → Options → Advanced

Look for the display setting related to cells with comments.

Depending on the Excel version, options may include:

• No comments, notes, or indicators
• Indicators only, with comments/notes shown on hover
• Indicators and notes/comments

This changes their on-screen display behavior.

It should not be confused with the Page Setup controls governing what gets printed.

Can I Print Only the Excel Comment/Note Indicator?

A common question is:

"I don't want to print the note itself. I only want the small note/comment indicator printed."

The indicator visible in the corner of an Excel cell is primarily a screen interface indicator, not an independent printable object.

Excel's normal printing options focus on printing the annotation content, such as:

• At the end of the worksheet
• As displayed on the worksheet for supported Notes

There generally isn't a standard Excel print setting whose sole purpose is to print only the small cell-corner indicator without the associated annotation.

If a printed document needs to visibly identify cells containing notes, consider creating a printable indicator inside the worksheet itself, such as:

• A symbol
• Asterisk (*)
• Cell border
• Fill formatting
• "Note" column
• Conditional formatting
• Custom marker

This produces a visible indicator that becomes part of the worksheet's printable content.

Why Are Comments Still Printing in Excel?

If annotations continue to appear, check the following.

1. Check Every Worksheet

Print settings may need to be reviewed for the worksheets being printed.

2. Check Page Setup

Go to:

Page Layout → Page Setup → Sheet

Review the Comments/Notes setting.

3. Check Whether You Have Comments or Notes

Modern Excel treats them differently.

Right-click the affected cell and determine whether the annotation is a:

• Comment
• Note

4. Check Print Preview

Never rely exclusively on how the workbook looks in Normal View.

Open:

File → Print

The preview provides a much better indication of the final printed output.

Printing to PDF Without Comments or Markup

The same general principle applies when creating a PDF.

Before using:

• Microsoft Print to PDF
• Save/Export to PDF
• Adobe PDF printer
• Another PDF printer

first configure the Word or Excel document so unwanted annotations are excluded.

Then inspect the resulting PDF before distributing it.

This is especially important because once a PDF has been sent to a customer, comments or internal review information visible in that PDF may be difficult to retract.

Recommended Procedure Before Creating a Final PDF

For Microsoft Word:

1. Open the document.
2. Check Review.
3. Determine whether Track Changes is active.
4. Review comments.
5. Decide whether revisions should be hidden or permanently processed.
6. Open File → Print.
7. Disable Print Markup if required.
8. Check Print Preview.
9. Generate the PDF.
10. Open the generated PDF and inspect several pages.

For Microsoft Excel:

1. Open the workbook.
2. Identify worksheets containing comments or notes.
3. Open Page Layout → Page Setup → Sheet.
4. Review annotation printing settings.
5. Open Print Preview.
6. Verify the print area.
7. Generate the PDF.
8. Open the PDF and verify the output.

Troubleshooting: Word Still Prints Comments

If comments continue to appear:

Check Print Markup

Go to:

File → Print → Settings

Verify that Print Markup is not selected.

Check Print Preview

If comments appear in preview, they can appear in the printout.

Check Review Display

Try:

Review → Display for Review → No Markup

Then inspect Print Preview again.

Restart Word

After changing several review/printing options, save the document, close Word, reopen it, and check the print configuration again if behavior appears inconsistent.

Troubleshooting: Word Prints Tracked Changes Even Though They Look Hidden

This can happen when the display and print settings are different.

The document may visually use No Markup, while the printing configuration still includes markup.

Always verify:

File → Print → Print Markup

Do not rely only on the Review tab.

Troubleshooting: Word Comments Disappear but Return Later

This normally means the comments or revisions were hidden rather than removed.

Hiding markup affects visibility.

It does not necessarily delete the underlying review information.

To permanently remove tracked revisions, accept or reject them. To permanently remove comments, delete the comments.

Troubleshooting: Excel Prints Extra Pages Containing Comments

Check:

Page Layout → Page Setup → Sheet

If comments/notes are configured to print At end of sheet, Excel may generate additional pages containing annotation information.

Change the annotation printing option when those pages are not required.

Troubleshooting: Excel Notes Cover Worksheet Data

If legacy Notes are configured to print As displayed on sheet, their boxes may cover worksheet data.

Possible solutions include:

• Move the note boxes.
• Resize the note boxes.
• Hide notes before printing.
• Change the annotation printing mode.
• Print comments/notes at the end instead.
• Disable their printing entirely when they are unnecessary.

Security and Privacy Consideration

Comments and tracked changes can contain information that was never intended for customers or external recipients.

Examples include:

• Internal pricing discussions
• Reviewer names
• Employee comments
• Negotiation notes
• Corrections
• Deleted text
• Customer information
• Internal approval discussions
• Draft wording
• Confidential observations

Therefore, before externally sharing an editable Office document, review more than just its printed appearance.

A document that prints cleanly can still contain hidden review information.

Best Practices for Final Business Documents

Before printing or distributing an important Word or Excel document:

1. Save a backup of the original reviewed document.
2. Review all comments.
3. Review tracked changes.
4. Decide which revisions should be accepted or rejected.
5. Remove confidential annotations where appropriate.
6. Turn off Track Changes after finalization.
7. Review Excel Comments and Notes.
8. Configure print settings.
9. Check every page in Print Preview.
10. Generate the PDF.
11. Open the PDF independently.
12. Verify that no unwanted annotation appears.
13. Keep the reviewed source and final distribution copy separately.

Quick Reference

Application	Requirement	Setting
Word	Print without comments/changes	File → Print → Disable Print Markup
Word	Temporarily hide tracked changes	Review → Display for Review → No Markup
Word	Permanently remove tracked revisions	Review → Accept/Reject
Word	Permanently remove comments	Review/Delete Comments
Excel	Configure annotation printing	Page Layout → Page Setup → Sheet
Excel	Print annotations separately	Comments/Notes → At end of sheet
Excel	Print legacy Notes visibly	As displayed on sheet
Excel	Control screen indicators	File → Options → Advanced
Word/Excel	Verify final result	File → Print → Print Preview

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. How do I print a Word document without comments?

Open File → Print, expand the printing options under Settings and make sure Print Markup is disabled.

2. Does disabling Print Markup delete comments?

No. It prevents markup from appearing in the printed output but does not necessarily remove comments or tracked changes from the document.

3. What does No Markup mean in Word?

No Markup displays the document without visible revision markup. The tracked changes can still remain stored inside the file.

4. How do I permanently remove tracked changes?

Use Review → Accept or Reject to process the changes. Simply selecting No Markup does not remove them.

5. Why is Word printing comments in the right margin?

Print Markup is probably enabled, causing Word to reserve space for revision/comment balloons.

6. Why does my Word document become narrower when printing?

Word may be reserving part of the page for markup balloons. Disable Print Markup and check Print Preview again.

7. Can I print tracked changes intentionally?

Yes. Enable Print Markup when you specifically need a reviewed copy showing revisions and comments.

8. What is the difference between Excel Comments and Notes?

Modern Excel Comments are primarily threaded collaboration discussions. Notes are traditional cell annotations similar to comments in older Excel releases.

9. How do I stop Excel comments or notes from printing?

Open Page Layout → Page Setup → Sheet and configure the Comments/Notes printing option appropriately.

10. Why is Excel printing comments on additional pages?

The worksheet may be configured to print comments or notes At end of sheet.

11. Can Excel print Notes where they appear on the worksheet?

Supported legacy Notes can be printed As displayed on sheet.

12. Can Microsoft 365 Excel print threaded comments as displayed over cells?

Threaded comments have different printing behavior from legacy Notes. Current Microsoft 365 primarily supports printing threaded comments at the end of the sheet rather than displaying them like traditional note boxes over worksheet cells.

13. Can I print only the small Excel note indicator?

Excel does not normally provide a dedicated printing option for only the small corner indicator. If this is required, create a printable marker such as an asterisk, symbol, border, or dedicated note column.

14. Does hiding an Excel comment delete it?

No. Display settings and deletion are separate operations.

15. Will comments appear when I print to PDF?

They can if the document's annotation/markup printing settings include them. Check Print Preview before creating the PDF.

16. Why are comments not visible on screen but still present in the file?

Office applications can hide review information without deleting it.

17. Should I delete comments before sending a document to a customer?

If the comments contain confidential or internal information and the editable Office file will be shared, they should be reviewed and removed where appropriate.

18. Is Print Preview important?

Yes. Print Preview is one of the easiest ways to identify unexpected markup, extra pages, scaling problems, and comments before printing.

19. Does turning Track Changes off remove previous changes?

No. Turning tracking off prevents new edits from being tracked. Existing tracked changes still need to be accepted or rejected.

20. What is the safest procedure for a final client document?

Keep a backup, process tracked changes, remove confidential comments, verify the printing settings, check Print Preview, generate a PDF, and inspect the final PDF before sending it.

Conclusion

Comments, Notes, Track Changes, and other annotations are valuable collaboration tools in Microsoft Office, but they should be carefully managed before producing final documents.

For Microsoft Word, the key printing control is generally:

File → Print → Disable Print Markup

For Microsoft Excel, review:

Page Layout → Page Setup → Sheet → Comments/Notes

Most importantly, remember:

Hiding comments or tracked changes from printing does not necessarily remove them from the original file.

For confidential, legal, financial, customer-facing, or official documents, always review both the printed output and the underlying document before distribution.