Notes in Excel

Notes in Excel

Notes are used to include additional information to the cell and explain formulas calculation, any modification made to the cell, providing necessary information on data that is entered or to provide any guidance on data that a user should enter. The information included in the Notes box helps users who are not the original owner of that workbook to get additional information about the cell.

Why are Notes useful?

1. They are highly useful to get acquainted with the functions and formulas used in the cell for future reference.
2. If something is highly important, and you don’t want to get it accidentally deleted, so notes are used to indicate the message.
3. When a user wants to file specific data quickly over the worksheet, he/she can add a note to that cell.
4. It aids users who are not the original owner of that workbook to get additional information about the cell.

Notes Shortcut for Windows

For Window Excel, use SHIFT + F2 keyboard shortcut to insert/edit the note in any cell

Notes Shortcut for Mac

For Mac Excel, use Fn+ ?+ F2 keyboard shortcut to insert a note in any cell

Insert a note in Excel

Follow the given below steps to insert a note in Excel:

1. Select the cell at which you want to add your note.

• Right click on the cell, and then click on the “New Note” option.

• You will notice that a note dialog box has appeared on the right side of the selected cell. Type your note and click on the enter button.

• Excel displays a red triangle-shaped icon in the upper-right corner of the selected cell.  

• Click outside the note box and then hover over the cell to view the note. Similarly, when someone will hovers this cell, the note will be reflected automatically.

Change the Note Username

Excel automatically adds the username to the top of the note box. But the user can alter the name.  Follow the below steps to change the name:

1. Under the File tab, click Options. A dialog box appears, as shown below.

• You will find the “username” option under Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office category. Type the desired username and click on ok.

• You will notice that your note name has been changed.

Edit/ delete a note in Excel

To edit a note, execute the following given steps:

1. Select the cell with the note which you want to edit.

• Right click on the cell, and then click on the “Edit Note” option.

• Again the note box will appear and type the amended version and click on enter.

• You can delete the note on the cell by again right clicking on the cell and selecting the “Delete Note” option.

• The note will no longer be available for that specified cell.

Hide/unhide a Note

As an Excel feature, the notes are only visible when someone hovers over the cell that contains the note(default). To keep the notes visible all the time, execute the following steps.

1. Select the cell that contains the note.

•  Right on the selected cell, from the review tab, click on the “Show/Hide Note” option.

• The note is now visible even if we are on another cell. This feature is used to highlight the note in Excel.

• If you again right click on the cell containing the unhide note, and then select the “Hide/Show Note” option, the above property will disappear. And now the note will be only visible when you hover on the comment cell.