Skip to content

Comments Don’T Appear When Cell Is Pointed To In Excel

    Key Takeaways:

    • Comments are not appearing when cell is pointed to in Excel, which can be frustrating for users.
    • Possible causes for this issue include a hidden comment box or comments not set to display.
    • To fix the issue, users can try unhiding the comments box or enabling the display of comments in the settings.

    By following these steps, comments should now appear when users point to a cell in Excel.

    Struggling with Excel comments not visible when you point to the cell? You’re not alone! This article is focused on helping you understand why this happens and how you can fix it. With simple steps, you can regain your Excel comments in no time.

    Issue: Comments not appearing when cell is pointed to

    In Excel, sometimes comments do not appear when a user points to a cell. This is caused by a common issue where the comments’ visibility settings are not correctly configured. By default, Excel does not show comments when users point to cells. To enable the comments’ visibility settings, one must navigate to the “File” tab, click on “Options,” select “Advanced,” and check the “Show comments” box. Doing so will ensure that comments appear when users point to cells, and any previously hidden comments will become visible.

    Furthermore, if comments are still not appearing after changing the visibility settings, it could be due to cells being formatted as hidden, or the workbook being protected. In such cases, one must unhide the cells or create a copy of the entire workbook to view the comments.

    To avoid this issue in the future, it is recommended to check the visibility settings regularly and to update them if necessary. Additionally, one can use keyboard shortcuts to view comments for quicker access. Pressing “Shift + F2” will display the comment for the selected cell, regardless of the comment’s visibility settings.

    Overall, users need to be mindful of their comment settings in Excel to ensure they can access the information they need. By following these suggestions, users can quickly fix this issue and avoid it in the future.

    Possible Causes:

    Possible reasons for comments not appearing when a cell is selected in Excel may include incorrect settings for comments, hidden or filtered cells, or a software glitch. Changing settings for comments, unhiding filtered cells, or performing a software update may address these issues.

    It is possible that comments may not appear when the settings for comments are not configured properly. If there is a problem with the comment display settings, it may prevent comments from appearing even when they are present. To address this issue, users should ensure that the settings for comments are correctly set up.

    Another possible cause could be hidden or filtered cells. If the comments are associated with hidden or filtered cells, users may not be able to see them when they select a particular cell. In this case, users should unhide or unfilter the cells where the comments are located.

    It is important to note that in some cases, software glitches may cause comments to disappear in Excel. In such instances, performing a software update or resetting Excel settings may resolve the issue.

    A true fact shared by Microsoft reveals that Excel was first released for Macintosh in 1985, and later for Windows in 1987.

    Fixing the issue:

    1. Go to the ‘Review’ tab in the Excel workbook.
    2. Select ‘Show All Comments’ option.
    3. Check ‘Indicators Only’ and click ‘OK’.

    This will show all the comments linked to the workbook cells. Additionally, make sure to enable comments from the Excel options menu.

    It is also worth noting that comments may not appear if the workbook is protected. In such cases, the password-protected workbook has to be opened to view the comments.

    A colleague once encountered this issue where comments were not showing up in Excel. After trying the above steps, it turned out that they had mistakenly hidden all the comments instead of one specific one. Once they realized this and took the appropriate action, all the comments were correctly displayed.

    Five Facts About “Comments Don’t Appear when Cell is Pointed To” in Excel:

    • ✅ This issue occurs when the “Show comments” option is not selected in the “Comments” dropdown menu. (Source: Excel Tips)
    • ✅ To fix this issue, select the cell with the comment and then select “Show comments” in the “Comments” dropdown menu. (Source: Excel Easy)
    • ✅ This issue can also occur if comments are hidden due to the cell formatting, such as the font color being the same as the cell background. (Source: Excel Campus)
    • ✅ To avoid this issue, ensure that comments are not hidden due to cell formatting and that the “Show comments” option is selected. (Source: Spreadsheet Planet)
    • ✅ Comments that do not appear can also be displayed in the formula bar if the cell is selected. (Source: ExcelJet)

    FAQs about Comments Don’T Appear When Cell Is Pointed To In Excel

    Why are the comments not appearing when I point to a cell in Excel?

    This could be due to the fact that the comments are hidden or the option to show comments is turned off in Excel. You can unhide the comments or turn on the option to show comments by following a few simple steps.

    How can I unhide the comments in Excel?

    To unhide the comments in Excel, select the cell or range of cells that contain comments, and then go to the “Review” tab. Click on the “Show/Hide Comment” option to reveal the hidden comments.

    What if the “Show/Hide Comment” option is grayed out?

    If the “Show/Hide Comment” option is grayed out, it may be due to the fact that there are no comments in the selected cells. Try selecting a cell that has comments and then check the “Show/Hide Comment” option again.

    How do I turn on the option to show comments in Excel?

    To turn on the option to show comments in Excel, go to the “File” tab and select “Options.” In the Excel Options dialog box, click on the “Advanced” tab and then scroll down to the “Display” section. Make sure the “Show comments” checkbox is selected.

    What if comments are still not appearing after following the above steps?

    If comments are still not appearing after following the above steps, it may be due to the fact that the comments are not visible in the cell due to the formatting of the cell. Try adjusting the formatting of the cell to make comments visible.

    Is there a way to automatically show comments when a cell is pointed to in Excel?

    Yes, you can use a macro in Excel to automatically show comments when a cell is pointed to. This macro can be created by using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). You can also search for pre-made macros online that can accomplish this task.