Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 10, 2018)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Excel allows you to add comments to individual cells in a worksheet. These are handy for keeping notes pertaining to the contents of a cell. (How you add comments is discussed in other ExcelTips.) When you later move your mouse pointer over the top of a cell that has a comment associated with it, a small pop-up box appears that shows the comment.
The normal color for the comment box is a pale yellow, to supposedly mimic the appearance of the paper sticky notes that we all know and love so well. What if you don't like pale yellow sticky notes, however? In that case, you may be looking for a way to change the color Excel uses for the comment box.
The news here is both bad and good. It is bad because Excel doesn't have a way to change just the color of the comment box. The good news is that Excel relies on the system colors set in Windows to determine what color the comment boxes should be. Excel uses the ToolTip color setting for the comment boxes. If you want to change that setting, follow these steps if you are using Windows 7:
Figure 1. The Window Color and Appearance dialog box.
If you are using Windows XP, the steps are different:
Now your comment boxes will be the color you selected. In addition, since you changed the ToolTip color, all your ToolTips in Excel and all your other programs will be the same color.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (3930) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.
Dive Deep into Macros! Make Excel do things you thought were impossible, discover techniques you won't find anywhere else, and create powerful automated reports. Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad help you instantly visualize information to make it actionable. You’ll find step-by-step instructions, real-world case studies, and 50 workbooks packed with examples and solutions. Check out Microsoft Excel 2019 VBA and Macros today!
Have you ever chosen to edit a comment, only to find that the comment is quite a ways from the cell with which it is ...
Discover MoreExcel allows you to add comments to individual cells in your workbook. Unfortunately, Excel doesn't provide a way to ...
Discover MoreIf you frequently add comments to cells in a worksheet, Excel provides a variety of tools you can use to manage those ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments