How to Delete a Comment on Google Docs

Collaborating with others on Google Docs makes document creation seamless for me. The ability to comment directly on the document facilitates my feedback and discussions. However, after a while, too many comments can clutter up the margins and make the document messy in my experience. Knowing how to delete comments allows me to easily clean things up and keep my document organized.

The process for removing comments is quick and straightforward for me – I just click the three dots next to a comment and select “Delete.” You can also delete individual comments or clear them all at once by clicking the number of comments and the trash icon.

In this article, I will provide a step-by-step guide to help me delete comments in Google Docs using desktop or mobile. Read on to learn the complete instructions for removing comments and keeping my documents clutter-free. You’ll also find out how to permanently erase comments from the trash and who can delete comments.

How to Delete a Comment on Google Docs — Delete a Comment on Google Docs

Table of Contents

Step-by-Step Guide to Deleting a Comment

Method 1: Deleting a Single Comment

Step 1: Open the Google Doc containing the comment you want to delete.

Step 2: Hover your mouse over the comment you want to remove.

Step 3: Click on the three vertical dots that appear in the upper right corner of the comment box.

Step 4: Select “Delete” from the drop-down menu.

Step 5: The comment will be immediately removed from the document.

Method 2: Deleting All Comments

Step 1: Open the Google Doc containing the comments you want to delete.

Step 2: Click on the number showing how many comments there are on the document. This is located next to the comment icon in the toolbar.

Step 3: Click the trash can icon in the upper right corner of the comment pane.

Step 4: Confirm that you want to delete all comments by clicking “Delete” in the pop-up window.

Step 5: All comments will be removed from the document.

Method 3: Deleting Comments on Mobile Devices

The process for deleting comments using the Google Docs mobile app is very similar:

Step 1: Open the document in the Google Docs app.

Step 2: Tap on the comment you want to delete to open the comment pane.

Step 3: Tap on the three dots in the upper right corner of the comment.

Step 4: Select “Delete comment.”

Step 5: To delete all comments, tap the number showing how many comments there are and then tap the trash can icon.

Why Delete Comments on Google Docs?

There are a few key reasons you may want to remove comments from your documents:

Reduce Clutter: Too many comments can make the document messy and difficult to read. Deleting old or irrelevant feedback cleans things up.
Maintain Privacy: Comments often contain private or sensitive information that you don’t necessarily want accessible long-term.
Keep Discussions Focused: Removing off-topic or unhelpful suggestions keeps the conversation productive.
Preserve Original Content: Deleting excessive or unnecessary edits helps maintain the document’s original voice.
Prepare Final Draft: Removing all comments cleans up the document for final distribution or publication.

Permanently Deleting Comments

When you delete a comment in Google Docs, it is moved to the trash rather than being permanently erased. This means you can recover deleted comments if needed:

On desktop, click the trash can icon in the comments pane to view deleted comments.
On mobile, tap the number of comments and then tap “Deleted” to see removed comments.

To permanently delete comments so they cannot be recovered:

Empty your trash in Google Drive on desktop and mobile. All trashed comments will be permanently removed.
Enable comment autodelete in your Google Docs settings. Comments will be automatically deleted after a set number of days.

Who Can Delete Comments in Google Docs?

Sometimes you may want to delete a comment that you or another person wrote in a document. But won’t find the delete Comment option in the comment pane. This is because you are not eligible to delete the comment. Here are the p[people who can and who cannot delete a comment in Google Docs:

The owner of the Google Doc can delete any comment.
Editors of the document can delete their own comments or those of other collaborators.
Viewers can only remove the comments they have personally added – they cannot delete other people’s comments.
Anonymous viewers without a Google account cannot delete any comments.

So comment privileges are tied to your level of access to the overall document.

Conclusion

Now you know how to quickly and easily delete Google Docs comments that you no longer require. With just a few clicks, you can remove an individual comment, delete all comments at once, or permanently erase comments from the trash. Keeping your documents free of unnecessary clutter will make them easier to read and collaborate on. Hopefully this guide has provided a clear overview of the entire comment deletion process. Don’t forget to remove unneeded comments before sharing documents widely or using them for final materials. And if you have any other questions about managing comments in Google Docs, let us know in the comments!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Recover A Comment After Deleting It?

Yes, deleted comments are moved to the trash in Google Docs, so you can restore them if needed. Just click the trash icon in the comments pane to view and restore deleted comments.

Do Deleted Comments Disappear From The Version History?

No, deleting a comment does not remove it from the version history. All comment changes are preserved in the document history.

What Happens If I Delete A Comment I Didn’t Create?

Editors and document owners can delete any comment, not just their own. So if you delete someone else’s comment, they will no longer be able to see or recover it.