Insert Comment option is missing from right-click menu

Question

I am using Excel 2016 on Windows 10. Today, the "Insert comment" option disappeared from the right-click pop-up context menu. When I right-click on a cell with no comment, there is no option to add one. If I right-click on a cell with a comment, I can edit or delete the comment. On the Insert tab of the ribbon, the Comments section is grayed out. This problem is affecting all spreadsheets that I have tried.

I googled the problem and tried every solution offered but none of them worked. How can I add comments to cells again?

Thank you

Answer 1

I tried to Update  but the dialog box says I am all updated, so that workaround fixed nothing.  I am at build 1906.  I always DREAD updates!!

Answer 2

I found this thread while researching Insert Comment option missing from right-click menu and Comments section grayed out on the Review ribbon.

Here is what I found and the fix. 

1. The missing Insert Comment/New Comment on the right click menu and the grayed out Comments section of the Review Ribbon appears to only affect files that are older Excel 97-2003 (.xls) format. These are files that have shown in Compatibility Mode since Excel 2007.
2. In Excel 2016/Office 365 there are now both Comments and Noteson the Review tab:
   1. Comments in Excel 2016/Office 365 are more like a discussion thread in the right panel.
   2. Notes in Excel 2016/Office 365 look identical to what Comments looked like in older versions of Excel. If there were existing comments in a workbook created in older version of Excel (both .xls and .xlsx files), they will now appear as Notes.
3. You have to select Show Comments and Show All Notes if you are using both and want to see them all. If Show All Notes was already selected, you need to IT Crowd it by turning it off and back on to see previous items that had been Comments but are now Notes.
4. The Shift+F2 option mentioned above inserts a New Note, not a Comment.
5. Running Office Updates did not work.
6. Saving As modern .xlsx format did not work.
7. Going to File > Info and clicking on Convert next to Compatibility Mode forces you to save as .xlsx file. This DID work and now Comments section is no longer grayed out on the Review ribbon and New Comment now shows up in the right-click menu.

I am not going to editorialize on why MS decided to change what was called Comments and now call them Notes. I am going to editorialize on the decision to create a brand new feature and call it the exact same thing as a feature that people have used for decades:

Thanks a lot, that was an awesome decision. 

I'm sure there were plenty of folks in those meetings who argued against this. I would love to hear the comments that supported this choice.

Answer 3

I fixed my problem by going to the display settings at bottom of the screen and checking "optimize for compatibility" this brought back the notes feature on the right mouse button. That is evidently the new name for the old comment feature.

Answer 4

Thanks for the detailed reply Michael 90067. Microsoft has now re-instated the comment function on all cells ie all working as it should in my version of Excel ie Excel 2019.  I'm not sure if it now works for Office 2016. Also Excel 2019 doesn't seem to have the Notes that  you mentioned. I couldn't see any reference to Notes either by right-clicking on a cell or within the Review Tab.

Answer 5

I am now experiencing the same issue. The review tab has the active buttons, but the right click does not show the add comment function. This is very frustrating, I'm using the latest 2019 office 365. 

I have tried all the fixes in this thread non of them have restored the function.