How to add a comment in Google Docs on Mac: step by step in the browser

Google Docs runs in your web browser. Google's help pages do not describe a separate Mac app for it, so these steps apply to the web version you open in a browser tab. Menu names come from Google's own help pages. Google can rename them, so if a label looks different, look for the same words in the same place.

Check that you can comment first

Adding a comment needs Commenter or Editor access. Google's screen-reader help page says to ask the file owner to share the document with you as a Commenter or Editor. With view-only access, you will not be able to add a comment. Replying and reacting follow the same rule. Replying needs permission to edit or comment, and emoji reactions need comment or edit access.

Add a comment from the Insert menu

Google's screen-reader help page describes this route. Highlight the words first. Then open the Insert menu and choose Comment. The Insert menu sits in the Google Docs menu bar, under the document title. It is not the Mac menu bar at the top of your screen. This route works even when you forget the shortcut, so it is a good default while you learn.

Use the toolbar icon or ⌘ Option M

Google's desktop help page describes a different entry point. Select the text, then click the Add comment icon in the toolbar. Google's keyboard shortcut table also lists Insert comment as ⌘ Option M on Mac. Use the shortcut once you know it. The toolbar icon and the menu both open the same comment box, so pick whichever you can find fastest.

Post with ⌘ Enter without the page break trap

Google's screen-reader help page says that on Mac, ⌘ Enter saves the comment. Windows and Chrome OS use Ctrl Enter. Here is the trap. In the body of the document, ⌘ Enter inserts a page break. Google's shortcut table lists it that way. If your cursor sits in the text when you press it, you get a page break in your document instead of a saved comment. Click inside the comment box first, then press ⌘ Enter.

Mention people and assign action items

Type @ followed by a name or an email address, then pick the suggestion. Use a mention when a comment needs a particular person. To assign an action item, put @ or + in front of the assignee's email address, then click Assign. The assignee gets an email. Keep assignments for work someone must finish, not for general remarks.

• R replies to the selected comment.
• J moves to the next comment.
• K moves to the previous comment.
• E resolves the selected comment.
• U exits the comment.
• ⌘ Option Shift A opens the discussion thread and comment history.

Hide, show and find comments on Mac

To hide comments, click View, then Comments. The Show all comments icon at the top right opens the comments panel, so use it when you want the list back. To hide one comment, select it and press ⌘ Option Shift N. Google's shortcut table lists that as Hide comment on Mac.

Common mistakes with comments in Google Docs

• Selecting nothing. Google's steps start with selecting text. Without a selection, you have nothing to point at.
• Pressing ⌘ Enter in the body text. It inserts a page break instead of posting your note.
• Trying to reply on view-only access. Replying needs comment or edit permission.
• Tagging someone who cannot open the file. Share the document with them, or they can ask you to share it.
• Hiding comments, then assuming the feedback is gone. Check View > Comments first.
• Expecting Lazur to post the comment. Lazur points and guides. You make the click.

Offline access on a Mac

Offline access has conditions on a Mac. Google's offline help page says you need Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, and private or incognito browsing is not supported. Setup needs an internet connection. In Google Drive, click the Settings icon at the top right, choose Settings, then turn on the Offline setting. Install and turn on the Google Docs Offline Chrome extension. Offline access covers your most recently opened documents, and you can mark files as available offline by hand. Google's page does not mention Mac specifically, and it does not say whether comments sync later. Test that before a deadline.

Why shared review matters in Google Docs

Google's research on its own staff shows how shared editing grew. The share of new employees who collaborate on Google Docs each month rose from 70% to 90% over two years. The share who collaborate with more than two people doubled from 35% to 70%. The data is Google's internal data from about 2011 to 2013, so read it as a trend, not a benchmark for your team.

Ask Lazur for the next click

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘, which means Option and Command, and ask a question about what is on screen. Lazur listens and looks at the screen only while you hold the shortcut. Ask where the Add comment icon is, and Lazur draws a circle and a label around it. Ask how to post a comment, and Lazur guides you one click at a time, waiting for each click. Lazur is not a plugin or add-in for Google Docs. It does not click buttons or edit the document for you.

Keep going after your first comment

Layout notes often come up in review, and page numbers are one example. If that is your next task, read how to add page numbers in Google Docs on Mac. For longer files, read how to add a table of contents in Google Docs on Mac. If you want to dictate text instead of typing it, see how to use voice typing in Google Docs on Mac. For the Lazur app itself, you can download Lazur for Mac.