People usually want this for one reason: to hand a reviewed draft to someone outside Google Docs, or to file it, with the feedback still attached. Google’s own print and PDF options don’t offer that, so the routes below go around them.
- What Google Docs downloads include
- Save a Google Doc as PDF with comments (through Word)
- Print a Google Doc with comments
- Export a list of all comments
What Google Docs downloads include
Use this to pick the right format before you download anything.
Google’s print help lists print settings for Docs, but nothing for comments. Slides gets a speaker-notes option; Docs gets no comments option. The download help is the same: you pick a file type and the file downloads.
| Route | Comments included? |
|---|---|
| File > Download > PDF document (.pdf) | No |
| File > Print (including Save as PDF) | No |
| File > Download > Microsoft Word (.docx) | Carried into the Word file; check them in Word |
| Google Takeout (Drive export) | Yes, open and resolved comments and suggestions |
For an ordinary PDF without comments, the steps are in how to export Google Docs as a PDF.
Saving a Google Doc as PDF with comments
Use this when you need one PDF that shows the text and the comments together, for example for a client or an archive.
- In Google Docs, click File > Download > Microsoft Word (.docx).
- Open the file in Microsoft Word for Windows.
- On the Review tab, open Show Markup and make sure Comments is ticked.
- Click File > Print.
- Under Settings, open the Print All Pages list and select Print Markup.
- Under Printer, choose a PDF printer such as Microsoft Print to PDF, then click Print and name the file.
Result: A PDF with the comments shown in the margin. These are the steps Microsoft gives for printing comments in Word; a PDF printer simply saves that printout as a file.
Tip: To include one reviewer only, select their name under Specific people in the Show Markup list before you print.
Any suggested edits come along too. Google’s suggested-edits help says suggestions become tracked changes in Microsoft Office. If you’d rather turn them into final text first, accept all suggestions in Google Docs before you download.
The wider Word conversion, including fonts and layout, is covered in Google Docs to Word.
Printing a Google Doc with comments
Use this when you want paper copies with the reviewers’ notes beside the text.
- Download the Doc as Microsoft Word (.docx), as above.
- Open it in Word and click File > Print.
- Under Settings, select Print Markup.
- Choose your printer and click Print.
Result: The document prints with its comments. To print the clean text instead, go to Review > Display for review > No Markup first.
Resolved comments are part of the review history, not the open discussion. If you need to check them before printing, see how to see resolved comments in Google Docs.
Exporting the comments on their own
Use this when you need the comments as a record, not laid out next to the text.
- Google Takeout: Google’s export help lists “open and resolved comments, and open and resolved suggestions” among the data included for Google Docs. Takeout exports your Drive files in bulk, so it suits archiving more than a single file.
- Google Drive API: developers can list every comment and reply on a file with the comments.list method, then write them to a sheet or text file.
- Reading them in Docs: click Show all comments at the top right to open the comments panel. Use Search all comments to find a person or keyword.
There’s no built-in “export comments” button in Google Docs itself.
Keeping comments when you combine Docs
Use this when the comments you want are spread across several reviewed Docs.
Copy and paste drops comments. Merge Docs Pro has a Copy comments from source documents (BETA) option that carries comment threads, replies and resolved status into the merged Doc. Each copied comment starts with “Originally by [name] on [date]”.
The step-by-step is in how to merge Google Docs with comments. To move comments between two Docs without merging, see how to copy comments from one Google Doc to another.
Comparing the methods
| Method | Best for | Works on |
|---|---|---|
| PDF download or File > Print | Clean copies without comments | Any browser |
| .docx, then Print Markup to PDF | One PDF with comments in the margin | Word for Windows (check on Mac) |
| .docx, then print from Word | Paper copies with comments | Word for Windows |
| Google Takeout | Archiving comments for many files | Any browser |
| Drive API comments.list | A custom list of comments | Developers |
Platform differences
- Word for Windows: Microsoft documents the Print Markup setting and the PDF option Document showing markup, found under More Options > Options when you save as PDF. Microsoft describes that option for tracked changes.
- Word for Mac: Microsoft’s Mac print and PDF steps don’t mention markup. Show the comments on the Review tab, save or print, and open the result to confirm they came through.
- Google Docs mobile app: Google’s help shows no comments option for downloads in the app either. Use a computer for the Word route.
- Documents with tabs: check that the .docx contains every tab you need before you print. The all-tabs PDF steps are in download all tabs of a Google Doc as one PDF.
Troubleshooting
- The PDF from Word has no comments: Print Markup was off, or comments were hidden. Tick Comments under Review > Show Markup and print again.
- A comment seems to be missing from the .docx: compare with the comments panel in Google Docs, including resolved comments. If something didn’t convert, export the comments separately with one of the options above.
- Browser “print with comments” extensions: they aren’t made by Google. Check the permissions they ask for before you install one.
For more export guides, browse Convert and Export. For working with comments inside Google Docs, see the comments and review guides.