Google Docs offers several ways to add notes, depending on who should see them. Comments are margin notes for collaborators, footnotes are notes that print with the document, the Keep side panel holds personal notes beside your work, and suggestions propose edits. This guide explains each option on a computer and in the mobile app, and how to hide or print them.
Quick Answer
To add a note in the margin, select text and press Ctrl + Alt + M (Cmd + Option + M on Mac), or click the Add comment button that appears on the right. Type your note and click Comment. For a note that appears in the document itself, use Insert > Footnote.
Option 1: Comments (Notes in the Margin)
- Select the text you want to comment on.
- Click the Add comment icon in the right margin, choose Insert > Comment, or press Ctrl + Alt + M.
- Type your note. Add @name or an email address to notify someone and optionally assign it as a task.
- Click Comment.
Click the checkmark to Resolve a comment when done. Open all comments with the comment history icon at the top right. Comments don’t print by default.
Option 2: Footnotes (Notes That Print)
- Click where you want the footnote number.
- Choose Insert > Footnote (or press Ctrl + Alt + F).
- Type the note at the bottom of the page.
Footnotes number automatically and appear in printouts and PDFs, which suits citations and explanations.
Option 3: Google Keep Notes in the Side Panel
- Click the Keep icon in the right side panel (open the panel with the arrow at the bottom right if it’s hidden).
- Click Take a note and type. Your notes are private and sync with Google Keep.
- Drag a note into the document to insert its content.
This is ideal for research notes, to-do lists and ideas that aren’t part of the document.
Option 4: Suggestions (Proposed Edits)
Switch to Suggesting mode using the pencil icon at the top right (or Ctrl + Alt + Shift + X). Your edits appear as colored suggestions with a note in the margin that the owner can accept or reject.
Option 5: Personal Notes Inside the Document
- Use a colored text box or table cell (Insert > Table > 1×1) as a note box.
- Use document tabs (the tabs panel on the left) to keep a separate notes tab in the same file.
- Highlight text with Format > Text > Highlight color to mark sections for later.
Add Notes on iPhone, iPad or Android
- Open the document in the Google Docs app and tap the pencil to edit.
- Select text, then tap Comment (or + > Comment).
- Type your note and tap Send.
Footnotes can be added via + > Footnote in the app.
Print or Hide Comments
- To include comments in a printout, download as .docx or PDF with comments (File > Download > PDF may offer an “include comments” option), or print from Word.
- To hide comments while reading, use View > Mode > Viewing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can viewers add comments?
Only if you share the file with Commenter or Editor access.
Are Keep notes visible to collaborators?
No. Keep notes stay private unless you insert them into the document.
How do I delete a comment?
Click the three dots on the comment and choose Delete.
Summary
- Comments (Ctrl + Alt + M) for margin notes.
- Footnotes for notes that print.
- Keep side panel for private notes.
- Suggesting mode for proposed edits.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.