How to Add a Comment to a Header in Microsoft Word

To try adding a comment directly to header text in Word, double-click the header, select the words, then choose Review > New Comment or press Ctrl+Alt+M on Windows. Word may not allow comments anchored in headers in your version; if New Comment is unavailable or the comment attaches to body text instead, use the workaround below to clearly identify the header you mean.

A Word comment is a review note attached to selected text or a location in the document. It is different from typing a note into the header itself: a comment is intended for collaboration and can be replied to or resolved, while header text is part of the document’s printed or displayed content. The steps below are for Microsoft Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows. Word for Mac has similar ribbon options, with a different shortcut noted where relevant.

What You’ll Need

A Word document you can edit. If it is read-only or protected, you may need permission or an editable copy before commenting.
A header that contains the text you want to discuss. If the document has multiple sections or different first-page headers, identify the exact header first.
For comments shared with other people, a document saved to OneDrive or SharePoint is useful, but it is not required to add a comment to a local file.

Step-by-Step

Save a working copy and locate the right page. Open the document and save it before making review changes. Scroll to a page that displays the header you want to discuss. This matters because Word can use different headers for the first page, odd and even pages, or separate sections. The header visible on one page may not be the same header used throughout the document.
Open the header for editing. Double-click inside the top margin area where the header text appears. Word switches into header-editing mode and displays the Header & Footer tab on the ribbon. You can also use Insert > Header > Edit Header. If you see the header text and the rest of the page appears dimmed, you are editing the header rather than the main document.
Select the exact text you want to discuss. Drag across the header words, or click and drag from the beginning to the end of the phrase. Make sure the selection visibly highlights only the relevant text. If you want to comment on a logo or an image rather than text, click the object once; Word may not offer a text-anchored comment for it. A short, precise selection is easier for other reviewers to understand than an entire line or a blank area.
Try the New Comment command. With the header text selected, open Review > New Comment. On Windows, Ctrl+Alt+M is the keyboard shortcut for a new comment. Type a concise note in the comment box, such as Please confirm that this running title matches the approved wording. Then select the send or post button shown in the comment box. In some versions or document configurations, New Comment will be disabled while the header is active. If it is available, continue to the next step to verify where the comment is anchored.
Check that the comment refers to the header. Look for the comment marker or highlighted anchor and confirm it corresponds to the selected header words, not a paragraph in the main body. Click the comment if needed to see the associated text. If the comment appears beside the page but has no clear header anchor, or the anchor is on body text, do not assume it is attached to the header. Use the workaround in step seven instead. This check prevents a reviewer from misunderstanding what your note refers to.
Close header editing without changing the comment. Choose Header & Footer > Close Header and Footer, or double-click in the main document area. Closing the header does not remove a comment. Review the page again in the normal editing view and, if practical, in Print Layout so you can confirm the header and comment display as expected. The comment may appear in the margin or in the comments pane depending on your display settings.
If Word will not comment in the header, attach a clearly labeled comment to nearby body text. Click Close Header and Footer, then select a relevant paragraph or section heading immediately below the header. Choose Review > New Comment and begin the note by identifying the target, for example Header on page 2: please confirm the running title. This does not make the comment technically anchored to the header, so say that explicitly in the comment. A nearby, clearly described anchor is safer than suggesting that Word has attached the note to header text when it has not.
Make the note easy to act on. State what needs review and, if useful, give a suggested change. For example, Header on pages 3–5: please check whether the department name should be abbreviated. Avoid putting confidential details in comments if the file will be shared with people who should not see them. Save the document, and make sure collaborators have access to the saved file if you expect them to reply.

Common Mistakes

Assuming every page uses the same header. Word can have a different first-page header, separate odd and even headers, and section-specific headers. A change or comment associated with one header may not apply to the others. Check the page and section before selecting text.

Confusing a comment with header content. Typing while the header is active adds visible text to the header; it does not create a review comment. Conversely, a comment may be hidden in the margin or comments pane and will not appear as printed header text. Use Review > New Comment for a review note, not Insert > Header.

Leaving the header before selecting the text. If you click in the body first and then use New Comment, Word will attach the note to the body location. Reopen the header and check that the words are selected before trying the command.

Assuming a nearby comment is header-anchored. In the workaround, the anchor is on body text, even if the comment describes a header. Make that distinction clear in the note so another editor does not mistake the anchor for a direct attachment.

Editing the wrong section or deleting a linked header. Headers can be linked to the previous section. Text changes may carry over to linked headers. Before changing the header itself, look at the Header & Footer tab for Link to Previous and verify which section you are editing. Adding a comment should not require changing that link.

Tips

Use a short selection for a direct comment, if Word permits it. Selecting just the running title or page label makes the comment anchor easy to recognize. If the note concerns the whole header rather than a particular phrase, say which page range and section it applies to. A comment such as Header, section 2, pages 4–7: verify the date format is clearer than Please check this.

Keep the comment focused on one decision. If there are two independent questions—for example, whether a title is accurate and whether it should be centered—consider separate comments so each can be answered or resolved individually. Be constructive: identify the issue, explain the reason briefly, and suggest a next step without rewriting the entire header in the comment.

For shared files, use Word’s comments rather than adding editorial notes directly into the header. Comments can be replied to, resolved, and reviewed without becoming part of the page’s visible content. On the Review tab, the comments controls let you show or hide comments and move between them. The exact display depends on the current markup view and Word version, so a hidden comment is not necessarily deleted.

If you need an audit trail of actual edits to the header text, turn on Review > Track Changes before changing the header. Track Changes records text edits; it does not replace a comment explaining why a change is proposed. Save a separate copy when reviewing important documents, especially if you are unsure whether a particular version supports comments in headers.

Troubleshooting

New Comment is dimmed or unavailable: First confirm that the document is editable and that you are signed in if your organization requires it. Close header editing and see whether Review > New Comment becomes available on body text. If it works in the body but not in the header, your Word build or document context may not support a header-anchored comment. Use the labeled nearby-body-text workaround rather than repeatedly clicking the disabled command.

The comment appears to attach to the wrong words: Delete or undo the misplaced comment, reopen the header, and select the intended text before choosing New Comment. Check the visible anchor after posting. If Word still places it in the body, use a nearby body anchor and name the exact header and page range in the note.

You cannot see the comment: Open Review and check the comments display options or open the Comments pane. The comment may be collapsed, hidden by the current markup view, or displayed in a side pane rather than beside the page. Also check that you are viewing the same saved copy in which the comment was created. If a collaborator sent a file without the latest changes, ask them to save and share the updated document.

The wrong header appears on the page: Check whether Different First Page or Different Odd & Even Pages is enabled on the Header & Footer tab. If the document has sections, click in the header on the relevant page and inspect the section context and Link to Previous setting. These options determine which header is displayed; they do not move a comment anchor from one header to another.

Mac instructions differ: In Word for Mac, double-click the header, select the text, and use Review > New Comment. The Windows shortcut Ctrl+Alt+M does not apply on a Mac; the usual Mac shortcut is Command+Option+A. Ribbon labels and the comment display can vary slightly by release. If the command is unavailable inside the header, use the same clearly labeled body-comment workaround.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a comment directly to a header in Word?
It depends on the Word version and editing context. Try selecting the header text and using Review > New Comment. If the command is disabled or the anchor lands in the body, use a nearby body comment that identifies the header and page range.

Will the comment print in the header?
Usually a comment is review markup, not header content, and it is not intended to print as part of the header. Printed output depends on print and markup settings. If you need wording to appear on every page, edit the header itself instead of adding a comment.

Can I add a comment to a header in Word for the web?
Word for the web has comments and header editing, but available commands can depend on the document and current interface. If you cannot select header text and create a comment there, add a comment to nearby body text and identify the header in the note, or open the document in the desktop app.

How do I comment on a header used on several pages?
Use a comment that states the relevant section and page range. First check whether those pages share the same header or use different first-page, odd/even, or section headers. One comment may not apply to every visually similar header in a document.

What is the difference between a comment and Track Changes?
A comment explains or asks about content. Track Changes records edits such as inserted, deleted, or reformatted header text. You can use both when you need to propose a header change and explain the reason for it.

Try it: the Date Difference Calculator: days, months, years and weekdays between two dates, with the DATEDIF formulas.

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