Insert a Comment in Word (Ctrl+Alt+M / ⌘⌥A)
Select the text you want to annotate, then press Ctrl+Alt+M on Windows or ⌘⌥A (Command+Option+A) on the Mac to add a comment in the margin.
| Action | Mac | Windows | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insert a new comment | ⌘⌥A | Ctrl+Alt+M | |
| Go to the next comment | (Review ▸ Next) | (Review ▸ Next) | |
| Turn Track Changes on/off | ⌘⇧E | Ctrl+Shift+E | |
| Show the Reviewing pane | (Review tab) | (Review tab) | |
| Delete a comment | (right-click ▸ Delete) | (right-click ▸ Delete) | |
| Insert comment in Google Docs | ⌘⌥M | Ctrl+Alt+M | |
| Insert note in Excel | Shift+F2 | Shift+F2 | |
| Open comment list (Google Docs) | ⌘⌥⇧A | Ctrl+Alt+Shift+A |
Add a margin comment
Highlight the word or sentence you want to flag, then press Ctrl+Alt+M on Windows or ⌘⌥A on the Mac. Word opens a comment balloon in the margin with the cursor ready, so you can type feedback without leaving the keyboard.
Review and remove comments
Use the Review tab's Next/Previous buttons to move between comments. To take one out, click inside it and choose Delete (or right-click ▸ Delete Comment). Track Changes, a separate feature, toggles with Ctrl+Shift+E / ⌘⇧E.
Reply to or resolve a comment
There is no default keyboard shortcut to reply to a comment in Word. Click the comment balloon and press the reply arrow, or right-click the comment and choose Reply to Comment. To close out feedback without deleting the thread, right-click and pick Resolve Comment (modern Word) — it greys the comment out but keeps the history.
If Ctrl+Alt+M does nothing
On Windows, Ctrl+Alt+M is sometimes captured by Intel/NVIDIA graphics hotkeys or other apps. Disable that global hotkey, or just use Review ▸ New Comment. On the Mac, make sure you are in a document body (not a text box) and that the Review tab is available.
Insert a comment in Google Docs
Google Docs uses the same shortcut idea: select text and press Ctrl+Alt+M on Windows/Chrome OS or ⌘+Option+M on the Mac. The comment box opens on the right margin; type your note and press Ctrl+Enter (⌘+Enter) to post it. This is why the Ctrl+Alt+M shortcut feels universal — Microsoft Word and Google Docs deliberately share it.
Comment shortcuts by app
| App | Windows | Mac |
|---|---|---|
| Word | Ctrl+Alt+M | ⌘⌥A |
| Google Docs | Ctrl+Alt+M | ⌘⌥M |
| Excel (insert note) | Shift+F2 | Shift+F2 |
| Excel (threaded comment) | Ctrl+Shift+F2 | (right-click ▸ New Comment) |
| PowerPoint | (Review ▸ New Comment) | (Review ▸ New Comment) |
| Outlook / PDF (Acrobat) | (right-click ▸ Comment) | (right-click ▸ Comment) |
Jump between comments from the keyboard
In Word, after inserting a comment press Esc to return to the document, then use Review ▸ Next / Previous to step through the thread. In Google Docs, open the comment list with Ctrl+Alt+Shift+A (⌘+Option+Shift+A) to see every comment at once and navigate with the arrow keys.
FAQ
What is the insert comment shortcut in Word?
Select the text and press Ctrl+Alt+M on Windows or ⌘⌥A (Command+Option+A) on the Mac.
How is a comment different from Track Changes?
A comment is a margin note; Track Changes records edits to the text itself and toggles with Ctrl+Shift+E / ⌘⇧E.
How do I delete a comment?
Click inside the comment and choose Delete, or right-click it and pick Delete Comment.
What is the comment shortcut in Word on Mac?
Press ⌘⌥A (Command+Option+A) after selecting the text. On Windows it is Ctrl+Alt+M.
How do I reply to a comment in Word?
There is no default shortcut — click the comment and press the reply arrow, or right-click it and choose Reply to Comment.
Why is Ctrl+Alt+M not inserting a comment?
Another app or a graphics-driver hotkey may be capturing Ctrl+Alt+M. Disable that hotkey, or use Review ▸ New Comment instead.
What is the insert comment shortcut in Google Docs?
Select the text and press Ctrl+Alt+M on Windows/Chrome OS or ⌘+Option+M on the Mac, then type your note and press Ctrl+Enter (⌘+Enter) to post it.
How do I add a comment in Excel?
Press Shift+F2 to insert a note on the selected cell. For a threaded comment on Windows use Ctrl+Shift+F2, or right-click the cell and choose New Comment.
Why is Ctrl+Alt+M the comment shortcut in both Word and Google Docs?
Microsoft and Google deliberately kept the same combination so reviewers can switch between Word and Docs without relearning it. The Mac differs slightly: ⌘⌥A in Word, ⌘⌥M in Docs.