Convert comments to answers and answers to comments on Microsoft Q&A

Comments and answers serve different functions on Microsoft Q&A. Answers provide a solution to the question asked, whereas comments are more flexible and are used to clarify the question, add additional troubleshooting details, suggest ways to improve or narrow the question, etc.

When a comment is posted as an answer, it can mislead other users into thinking that a question has a posted solution when it doesn't. Additionally, when a user posts an answer as a comment, this content can easily be missed by people who are looking for answers (including the question author), and they cannot be marked as Accepted Answers.

To solve this issue, moderators and users can convert comments to answers and convert answers to comments.

Prerequisites

  • You need to be signed in Q&A.

Limitations

  • Unless you're a moderator, you can only convert your own comment or answer.

Convert comments to answers

If you have posted a comment which is a solution or prospective answer, convert the comment to an answer.

  1. Select the overflow menu on any comment.
  2. Select the button "Convert to answer".
  3. Confirm the action in the modal pop up.

Upon confirmation, the page will automatically refresh, and the comment will now appear as an answer.

Convert answers to comments

When converting an answer to a comment, users must select the new location for the comment, whether as a comment on the question or a comment on a different answer. Upon confirmation, the answer and any comments on that answer will be moved to the selected location.

  1. Select the overflow menu on any answer.
  2. Select the button "Convert to comment".
  3. Select the location to move the comment, under the question itself or another answer.
  4. Confirm the action by selecting the blue “Convert” button.

Upon confirmation, the page will automatically refresh, and the answer and any of its comments will now appear as a comment in the selected location.