Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Static Sizes for Comment Boxes.

Static Sizes for Comment Boxes

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated October 30, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


Jean-Marc is having a problem with comment boxes in his workbooks. It seems that every time he opens an Excel workbook in which he previously inserted comments, those comments have changed size. For example, if he inserts a 2" by 2" comment (or places a picture inside a comment box), the next time he opens the workbook only half the picture shows in a much larger comment box. Jean-Marc is wondering if there is a way to make the comment boxes retain the same size as he originally sets them.

The solution seems to be related to how the comment is created. How you view comments is controlled by three option buttons on the View tab of the Options dialog box. If you choose to view Comments & Indicators, then the sizes of your comments should remain static. If you choose to view only the indicators, then Excel chooses how and where to display the comment each time it is redisplayed.

If you don't want your comments to always be visible, but you still want them to retain their sizes, then the only option is to develop a macro that will do the resizing for you.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3160) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Static Sizes for Comment Boxes.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

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