Resolving a comment only hides it from the margin. The thread and its replies stay in the document, so you can read it again or bring it back at any time.
- See resolved comments
- Reopen (restore) a resolved comment
- Open the comment history with a shortcut
- Resolve all comments faster
- Delete resolved comments
Seeing resolved comments in Google Docs
Use this when a discussion has vanished from the margin and you want to read it again.
- Open the document on a computer.
- At the top right, click Show all comments.
- In the comments panel, click the All types filter.
- Choose resolved comments.
- Click a comment to jump to the text it’s attached to.
Result: Only resolved threads are listed, with their replies. Choose All types again to see everything. These steps follow Google’s comments help.
The tabs at the top of the panel switch between all comments and comments for you. To find one thread quickly, click Search all comments and type a keyword or a person’s name.
Reopening a resolved comment
Use this when a comment was resolved by mistake, or the issue has come back.
- Show resolved comments as above.
- Click the comment you want.
- At the top right of the comment, click Re-open.
Result: The thread is open again and shows in the margin next to its text. Reopening is also how you “undo” an accidental resolve.
Opening comment history with a shortcut
Use this when you want the full list of comments, open and resolved, without reaching for the mouse.
- Windows and ChromeOS: Ctrl + Alt + Shift + A
- Mac: Cmd + Option + Shift + A
Google lists this as Open comment history in its Google Docs keyboard shortcuts. From there, use the All types filter to narrow the list.
Resolving all comments in Google Docs
Google Docs has no Resolve all button. You resolve comments one at a time, but the keyboard makes it quick.
- Click the first comment to select it.
- Press E to resolve the current comment.
- Press J to move to the next comment, or K to go back.
- Repeat until the margin is clear.
Result: Every thread is resolved, and all of them are still available in the resolved filter. To resolve a single comment with the mouse, click Resolve at the top of the comment.
Tip: Press R to reply to the selected comment before you resolve it, so the thread records what was done.
Deleting resolved comments
Use this when you want resolved threads gone for good, not just hidden. Deleted comments are gone from the document, so be sure first.
To delete one resolved comment:
- Show resolved comments.
- On the comment, click More (three dots) > Delete.
- If Delete isn’t offered on the resolved thread, click Re-open first and delete it from the open thread.
To drop every resolved comment at once, make a clean copy:
- Click File > Make a copy.
- Tick Copy comments and suggestions, and leave out resolved comments and suggestions.
- Click OK.
Result: The copy has your open comments only. Google’s file help describes this option. The copy is a new file, so share it again and point people to the new link.
To drop every comment, open and resolved, untick Copy comments and suggestions. The full how-to is in how to copy comments from one Google Doc to another.
Comparing the options
| Task | How | Works on |
|---|---|---|
| See resolved comments | Show all comments > All types filter | Computer |
| Reopen a comment | Re-open on the resolved comment | Computer |
| Open comment history | Ctrl + Alt + Shift + A | Computer |
| Resolve many comments | E then J, repeated | Computer |
| Delete all resolved comments | Make a copy without resolved comments | Computer |
Platform differences
- Android, iPhone and iPad: tap Comment at the top to view threads, and tap Resolve above a comment to close it. Google’s help for the apps doesn’t describe a resolved filter, so use a computer to find or reopen resolved threads.
- Word, PDF and other files in Drive: in the Drive preview, click More > Show comments column to show or hide resolved comments, as Google’s collaboration tips describe.
- Locked documents: a locked Google Doc blocks new comments. If you can’t reopen or reply to a thread, check whether the file is locked.
Keeping resolved comments when you merge Docs
Use this when you combine several reviewed Docs and want the review history to survive.
Copy and paste never brings comments along. With Copy comments from source documents (BETA) turned on, Merge Docs Pro copies comment threads with their replies, and resolved threads stay resolved in the merged Doc.
See how to merge Google Docs with comments or the section on copying comments into the merged Doc.
Suggested edits aren’t comments, and they aren’t copied. Accept all suggestions in Google Docs first if you want those changes kept.
Troubleshooting
- “You’ve reached the document limit for comments”: resolve comments that are no longer active, then use File > Make a copy with Copy comments and suggestions and continue in the copy. This is Google’s own advice.
- The resolved filter is empty: nobody has resolved a comment yet, or the comment was deleted rather than resolved.
- No Re-open or Resolve button: you need permission to comment on or edit the document. Ask the owner to change your access.
- You need the comments outside Google Docs: see how to download a Google Doc with comments.
Working with Word reviewers too? See how to merge Word documents with comments. More guides are in the Google Docs comments and review hub.