Forum Discussion
Can I remove Modern Comments and revert back?
Send feedback to Microsoft to let them know what you think about the so-called modern comments; for instructions, see https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/how-do-i-give-feedback-on-microsoft-office-2b102d44-b43f-4dd2-9ff4-23cf144cfb11.
Microsoft's rationale about "posting" is mentioned in the support article at https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/using-modern-comments-in-word-edc6ae71-0a2d-49fe-8faa-986f1e48136a (which you may have seen already).
Finally, you should see an option to temporarily revert to the previous, more user-friendly interface at File > Options > General. Clear the check box next to "Enable modern comments."
To remove the modern comments feature try deleting the following two keys from the registry. You should make the usual backup first.
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common\ExperimentConfigs\Ecs\word]
[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Common\ExperimentConfigs\FirstSession\word]
Awesome, you're a hero! I was half-way hoping for something like this. It seemed evident to me that the program code for traditional comments must still exist in the current version in parallel to the redesign and probably did for some time while the latter lay dormant, if MS is now flipping the switch and activating them one user at a time regardless of update status. (Some users have reported needing to roll back multiple previous versions to get back to normal). If a registry hack is what it takes because MS is to arrogant and stubborn to implement an option in the program settings for switching back (or, god forbid, switch in between according to current use case), so be it. Let's just hope those clowns don't remove the code with the next update just to spite us...
Can't mess with this right now at a critical stage finalizing a project, but I'll be sure to do so ASAP!
Thank you very much for finding this!
I totally agree!!!! I have been complaining about this so-called upgrade since the day it was foisted on us. As an academic, it has made my job of marking papers much harder. The least Microsoft could do is allow us to go back to the "old" commenting without having to mess with the Registry. I have complained to them directly with of course not even a response. How many of us have to be angry before they hear us? I need to put symbols in the comments. I need to change the color of the text in the comments. I want to jump from one comment to another without MS getting in the way. I have many phrase shortcuts that all are now useless. Come on, Microsoft, do the right thing!
