Choose Color for Individual Comments

Question

I'm using Word 2010 (Windows). I want to change the color of individual comments. I can change the color of all comments through "Change Tracking Options", but this isn't exactly what I want. Is there a way to do this with comments? I could highlight text, but I'd really rather do this with comments.

Solution

The easiest is to:

1. Insert a comment;
2. Copy the comment ID (ie, the text within the two square brackets, which should display your own Word ID or 'Comment');
3. Paste it at the next comment instead of using Word's 'New Comment' dialog (this pasted comment will be colourless);
4. Select it and apply any highlighting colour.
5. Add the text of the comment in the Reviewing Pane at the left
6. Delete the original 'comment' you inserted as it will have Word's default colour.

If you want to use different colours, create any number of such "blank" comments somewhere at the top of the document, each highlighted with a different colour and copy and paste them when you need a comment of a particular colour.