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How to Add Comments in Google Slides? A Helpful Guide!

How to Add Comments in Google Slides? A Helpful Guide!

I often receive a lot of questions regarding comments in Google Slides. So, I decided to create a helpful guide that answers all the questions regarding comments in Google Slides in one place. Let’s first understand how to add comments in Google Slides.

You can add comments in Google Slides by first selecting the text or the object to which the comments need to be added. Next, click on the ‘Insert Tab’ on the Menu bar, and select ‘Add Comments’. Enter your comment in pop-up that opens up, and then click on the “Comment” button.

Google Slides has gained popularity gradually over a period of time. Although the real-time collaboration and working with Google Slides and Docs is awesome, but it comes with a learning curve. Working with comments in Google Slides is a prime example of that.

Nevertheless, let’s understand how to work with Comments in Google Slides!

How To Add Comments In Google Slides?

Although some functions work differently in Google Slides than other common presentation software, adding comments in Google Slides is very easy. There are two simple methods we can add comments to our presentation in Google Slides:  

Method 1 – Using the ‘Insert’ Tab on the Menu Bar

The first method has already been mentioned in the blog earlier. But, here’s a detailed step-by-step process that you need to follow for adding comments: 

Image showcasing how to add comments in Google Slides using the Insert Tab on the Menu Bar
Adding comments using the Insert tab on the Menu Bar in Google Slides

Step 1 –
Select the area, part of the text or the object to which you need to add a comment. Make sure it is selected or highlighted (if it is text)

Step 2 –
Click on the ‘Insert Tab’ in the menu bar.

Step 3 –
Then, click on the ‘Comment’ option to start adding your comment.

This will open up a text area on the right-hand side through a pop-up window. Write your comment there and click on the “Comment” button highlighted in the yellow color below. 

Note:
If you do not click on the yellow “Comment” button after adding the text of your comment, your comment will NOT be saved.

Method 2 – Using the “Add Comment” Button on the Tool Bar

A faster method to adding comments is by using the add comment button that is present right in the toolbar. This way, you save a couple of steps and some precious time.

Here’s what you need to do –

Step 1 –
The first step is the same as that in the earlier method. Simply highlight the text or the object to which you want to add a comment.

Step 2 –
Locate the “Add Comment” button on the toolbar as indicated in the image below. You can identify it as a box that has a “+” sign inside it.


Click on this button.

Step 3 –
The comment text box will pop-up on the right hand side of the screen. You can write your comments in the box.

Step 4 –
Make sure you click on the yellow-colored “Comment” button below the area to input your comments.

If you write a comment using any of the two methods mentioned above, your comment will be saved successfully.

Anyone who has the editing and commenting rights will now be able to see your comment. You will also be able to see your own comments.

Keyboard Shortcuts For Adding Comments In Google Slides 

Another method of adding comments is by directly using the keyboard shortcuts or the hotkeys.

For some people, it is a lot easier to simply use the keyboard shortcut instead of going to the menu every time. If you are one of those, here are the keyboard shortcuts to adding comments to Google Slides –

Shortcut for Windows Users

The keyboard shortcut for adding comments on Google Slides using a Windows Operating System is Ctrl+Shift+M. You need to make sure that the text or object is highlighted in order to add comments to the appropriate section of the document.

If you need a step-by-step guide, you can follow the steps mentioned below –

Step 1 –
Select the element that you would want to add a comment to.

Step 2 –
Once the object or text is selected, press Ctrl+Shift+M all together.

Step 3 –
This will create the comment box where you will be provided with a space to add your comments

Step 4 –
Make sure you click on the yellow-colored “Comment” Button.

Shortcut for Mac Users

If you are a Mac (or Apple) user, you may notice that you don’t have the Ctrl key. So, the shortcut is slightly different.

The keyboard shortcut for adding comments on Google Slides using a Mac Operating System is Command+Option+M (⌘ + ⌥ + M). You need to make sure that the text or object is highlighted in order to add comments to the appropriate section of the document.

In the Mac Operating System, the button “command” works the same way as the “Ctrl” in Windows. For adding a comment, the procedure is pretty much the same except that the keyboard shortcut applied should be the one mentioned above.

How to Add Comments in Google Slides using Android or iPhone?

When you need to edit your presentations on the go when you are away from your desktop or while traveling, you can still easily do it using your smartphone.

Both Android and iOS applications allow users to add comments in the presentation. The comments will be saved exactly the same way as those on the desktop.

There are two ways of doing this:

Images 1 & 2 resemble the steps that you need to take for Method 1 & 2. Image 3 is common to both the steps.

Method 1 – By Highlighting the Text or Object

The process is somewhat similar to what you would do on a computer. But, here are the detailed steps –

Step 1 –
As shown in picture 1, select the element that you want to add a comment for. If you want to add comments to a part of the text, make sure that only a part of the text is highlighted.

Step 2 –
Click on “Add Comment” in the pop-up. Sometimes you may not see the pop-up immediately, in that case, double-check if you have highlighted the element, and then long-press the element for a couple of seconds.

Sometimes, you may need to expand the pop up to see the “Add Comment” option, the way I have done here in picture 2.

Step 3 –
The last step is to add the comment and click on

Method 2 – Using the “Add Comment” Button

There is only a slight variation in this method. So, here are the steps –

Step 1 –
Select and highlight the text or the element

Step 2 –
Click on the plus (+) icon in the top toolbar.

Step 3 –
The plus (+) button allows you to add various elements to your google slides such as an image, shape, text, and even a comment. Make sure you click on “Comment” button from the options (and not on the text option).

How to view already added comments in the Google Slides Mobile App?

As shown in picture 3, click on the “Comment” icon in the top toolbar. You will get to see all the active comments in the presentation. If there is no comment in the file, the screen will be blank. 

Can anyone Add Comments to your Google Slides Document?

In order to enable people to start adding comments to your Google Documents and Google Slides, you need to first make sure that the document is shared with them with adequate rights to work on it.

Types of Access Rights in Google Slides (and Google Documents)

As you probably already know that there are three types of rights in all major types of Google files – documents, spreadsheets as well as slides. 

These rights dictate what people can do to your file. I’ve listed them down below –

  1. Viewing rights: People with viewing rights, can only open and view your document. They will not be allowed to make any changes to it. They won’t even be allowed to comment on it.
  2. Commenting rights: Your contacts to whom you have assigned commenting rights can open, read, and comment on your file.
  3. Editing rights: People who have been assigned editing rights, can make changes, accept or reject suggestions, comment on, and share the file with others. Basically, they can control the complete document.

Note:
User Rights, Access Rights, Permissions, Privileges – they all mean the same thing when it comes to Google Slides and Google Documents in general.

Viewing rights can be used when sharing a presentation with your clients or customers since they mostly need to see the document and not necessarily make any changes.

On the other hand, commenting rights are useful when you need to share the document to gather feedback. It can be given to your supervisors or any other consultants that you work with.

Editing rights are best used by assigning it to people who are actually going to work on the presentation. This could be a person who will be working on the document independently or collaborating with you.

How to Assign Access Rights in Google Slides?

The author or the owner of the creator of the file has by-default the editing rights. The owner gets to decide who can view, comment on, or edit the file. 

Furthermore, in order to assign access rights, you need to first make sure that the document is shared with the concerned person.

The people, who can comment in Google Slides, need to have any one of the following access rights –

  1. Author
  2. People with commenting rights
  3. People with editing rights 

And, this takes us to our next point. 

Why am I Unable to Add Comments to Google Slides?

If you can’t add a comment to Google Slides shared with you by others, chances are that you don’t have the comment or editing privileges. So, you need to first make sure that you have the adequate rights and privileges to add comments to the document.

If you have been assigned adequate permissions and are still having trouble to comment on Google slides, the following might be the cases: 

  1. You are not signed in to the account through which you have created the file or have been assigned the file.
  2. You have opened the file in view mode and not edit mode. 
  3. You are trying to comment on an image that has wrapped text or break text. 

If the issue persists, here are some things which you can try:

  1. Reload the file.
  2. Create a copy of the file and try to comment on it.
  3. Try contacting support or report the issue.

How to View, Edit, Delete, Resolve, or Reply to existing Comments?

It is very easy to resolve, reply to the existing comments, or delete the ones which you have created. 

Viewing Old Comments

Once you’ve added a comment, you may feel like the comment has disappeared. But, that is not the case. You can easily view all the comments that were added historically. To do so, simply click on the “Comment” button icon to the left of the “Present” button on top of the screen. Check out the image shared above.

If there are comments existing comments on the document, it shall look something like this –

Resolving Comments

If you see a comment highlighting a certain element or text, you can do the task which the comment mentions and simply mark it “resolved” by clicking on the “Check” sign. 

Replying to Comments

If you want to reply to that comment, click on it.  It will expand and create a “Reply” text box below it. Type in your reply and click on the “Reply” button. That’s it!

Editing or Deleting a Comment

Click on the 3 dots as shown in the screenshot below and the options will expand. 

Can You Add Voice Comments To Google Slides?

There is no direct way to add voice comments to Google Slides. But, you can do it using Chrome extensions and add-ons. 

Mote is one of them: 

One more popular & free add-on is Kaizena. For more details, you can visit their website

How To Disable And Enable Comments In Google Slides?

As of now, there is no option to directly disable or enable comments in Google Slides. However, you can control who can comment on your presentation. When you share the link with someone, what you will mark there (view, can comment, or can edit) will decide whether the person is allowed to comment. 

Can You Save Comments From Google Slides?

It depends on how you interpret the word “Save”. 

Saving the comment so you can see it later in the slide

When you type the comment in the comment box and click on “Comment” [The Orange Button], it’s done. The comment will remain in the file until you/somebody- 

  1. Resolve it. 
  2. Delete it. 
  3. Delete the element to which the comment was added.

No matter where you are in the world and which device you use to access your slides, you will see the comment!

Downloading the Slides along with the Comments

If you download the slides in the .PPTX format and open it using Keynote on Mac or Microsoft PowerPoint on Windows,  you will see the comments there. 

However, if you download the presentation in any other format such as .PDF, .JPEG, etc. the comments will not be downloaded. 

Note: – No matter what format you choose for downloading, the comments in the original presentation on Google Slides will not be affected. You are only choosing how your downloaded file will look like.

How To Print Comments From Google Slides?

If you download in Google Slides presentation as a PDF, it won’t show the comments. Therefore printing the comments from Google styles by downloading them as PDF is not possible. 

However, if you choose to download it in the presentation format (to be opened using Microsoft  PowerPoint), you can see the comments in the review tab, as shown below.  

 The good news is, PowerPoint allows the users to print these comments. 

So, let’s put everything together. 

Follow this procedure to print the Google Slides Presentation along with the comments:

  1. Open Google Slides that you want to print.
  2. Click on the “File” tab in the menu bar.
  3. Go to “Download” and in the new to list that will open select “Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx)” 
  4. Save the presentation in your desired folder.
  5. Open it using Microsoft PowerPoint.
  6. Click on “File” in the menu bar.
  7. Select “Print” from the menu. 
  8. You will probably find the option “Full Page Slides” already selected. Click on it.
  9. Check “Print Comments and Ink Markup”.
  10. Go ahead and print the document.

How To Download Google Slides Without Comments?

If you are downloading the presentation directly and opening it locally in a presentation software such as Microsoft PowerPoint or LibreOffice, the comments will still be there. You can see them by clicking on Review in the menu bar and further clicking on Show Comments. 

However, if you are downloading your Google Slides presentation as a PDF or in any other format, the comments won’t appear. 

If you want to download the presentation WITHOUT comments in the PPT format, you will first have to resolve all the comments. If the comments are a lot, you will have to make a copy to delete all the comments. To know how to delete all the comments at once, just keep reading.

How To Delete All Comments From Google Slides?

Some presentations turn out to be huge with so many people working on them. In such presentations, there can be a ton of comments. Resolving each and every comment is a tedious task. So instead of that, here is an easy trick that you can use to get rid of all the comments at once: 

Get rid of all the comments in Google Slides at once: 

  1. Go to the folder in Google Drive where your file is located. 
  2. Right click on it select make a copy and start working on that copy. 
  3. It will have all the features and editing that you have added in the original. But, it won’t have the comments.
  4. Done! Start working on the copy.

Conclusion

When used correctly and efficiently, comments in Google Slides can help your team improve collaboration. It might look complicated at first. But, it is one of the easiest things to do in Google Slides. I hope I have answered your comment-related question. Feel free to get in touch, if you still have doubt!