How to Remove the Markup Area in Word While Printing
When printing a Microsoft Word document, you might notice that the markup area—complete with comments, tracked changes, and revision notes—gets printed too. While this is useful for collaboration, it’s not ideal for final or professional prints. Whether you're preparing a client-ready document or a clean internal report, removing the markup area before printing is essential.
This step-by-step guide shows you how to remove the markup area in Word while printing, ensuring your document looks polished and professional.
Why Does Word Print the Markup Area?
Microsoft Word includes markup like tracked changes and comments to help collaborators see edits. By default, these elements are visible in the Print Layout and can show up in printouts unless you turn them off. Fortunately, there’s a quick fix to prevent this.
How to Remove the Markup Area in Word While Printing
Follow these simple steps to remove comments and tracked changes from appearing in your printed Word document:
1. Open the Document in Microsoft Word
Make sure your document is open and in Print Layout view, which lets you see exactly what the printed page will look like.
2. Go to the “Review” Tab
Click the Review tab on the top ribbon. This is where you’ll find all the tools related to tracking and markup.
3. Check the “Tracking” Section
Within the Review tab, locate the Tracking group. Here, you'll see the “Show Markup” dropdown and “Track Changes” option.
4. Uncheck All Markup Options
Click “Show Markup” and uncheck everything (e.g., Comments, Insertions and Deletions, Formatting). This removes the markup from the visible view.
5. Change “Display for Review” to Final
Next to the Show Markup button, change the dropdown that says “Simple Markup” or “All Markup” to “No Markup.” This will show the clean version of the document without tracked changes or comments.
6. Print the Clean Document
Now go to File > Print . You'll see a preview of the document without any markup. Go ahead and print your clean, professional version.
Pro Tip for Google Docs Users
If you're transitioning between Word and Google Docs, or working with teams using both, try Docswrite.com. It makes publishing content from Google Docs seamless, fast, and formatting-friendly—perfect for bloggers, marketers, and teams working cross-platform.
FAQs
Q: Why does my Word document still show comments when I print it?
A: It’s likely because the “All Markup” or “Simple Markup” view is selected. Switch it to “No Markup” under the “Review” tab.
Q: Can I remove the markup permanently before printing?
A: Yes. Accept all changes and delete comments before printing. In the Review tab, use “Accept All Changes” and “Delete All Comments” options.
Q: Will this affect the original document?
A: If you only change the view to “No Markup,” the comments and changes will still be in the document—they just won’t print. To remove them permanently, accept/delete them.
Q: Can I do this in Google Docs?
A: Google Docs handles suggestions and comments a bit differently. To avoid printing comments, click File > Print and make sure “Include comments” is unchecked. For professional formatting, helps turn Google Docs into clean web-ready content.