Remove Comments from Excel in 1 Click — Free, No Upload, Data Safe
Strip every cell comment, note, and threaded conversation from .xlsx in one pass — leftover drawing anchors cleaned up too. No upload, no sign-up, batch supported.
Drop .xlsx or .xlsm files here, or click to browse
Supports .xlsx and .xlsm · processed locally · never uploaded
How to Delete All Comments in an Excel File Online
- Drop one or more .xlsx or .xlsm workbooks — everything is processed locally and never uploaded.
- Click Remove comments — every comment part, reference, and anchor is stripped automatically.
- Check the report — each file lists the sheets it was cleaned from by name.
- Download the result — a single file downloads directly; multiple files come back as a ZIP.
What Gets Removed — and What Stays
A comment is not just one thing inside a workbook: it is a part, a declaration, a relationship, and often a drawing anchor. This tool removes the whole chain, and nothing else.
| Item | Handled | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cell comments and notes | Removed | The xl/commentsN.xml parts are deleted |
| Threaded conversations | Removed | Modern Teams-style threads in xl/threadedComments are deleted |
| Comment drawing anchors | Removed | <legacyDrawing> elements in the sheets are stripped |
| VML drawing parts | Kept | May also be used by form controls and data-validation arrows |
| Cell values, formulas, formatting | Untouched | Only comment plumbing is modified |
How Comment Removal Works Inside the File
An .xlsx workbook is a ZIP archive of XML parts. Comments live in their own parts (xl/comments1.xml and xl/threadedComments/threadedComment1.xml), are declared in [Content_Types].xml, referenced from each sheet’s relationship file, and anchored to cells with <legacyDrawing> elements. Delete any one of those in isolation and Excel reports a corrupt file — the references must go together.
This tool unpacks the archive in your browser, removes the parts and every reference to them consistently, and repackages the workbook. Excel then opens it as a completely normal file with no trace of the comments.
Your file never leaves your device. Unpacking, editing, and repacking happen entirely in browser memory — there is no upload step at all.
Why Remove Comments Before Sharing?
- Privacy — comments often carry reviewer names, timestamps, and internal remarks that are invisible in the grid but readable by anyone who opens the XML.
- Safety — threaded discussions can contain context you never meant to send to clients or regulators.
- Clean hand-offs — deliverables look final instead of half-reviewed.
- Smaller files — comment parts and their anchors are pure overhead for the recipient.
Limitations
- .xlsx and .xlsm only — legacy .xls (Excel 97–2003) is a binary format; convert it to .xlsx first with our batch converter.
- File-open encryption cannot be processed — if Excel asks for a password before opening, no honest tool can read the file.
- Macros in .xlsm files are left untouched.
- Removal is permanent in the downloaded copy — keep the original if you may need the comments back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this Excel comment remover really free?
Yes — 100% free, with no sign-up, no watermark, and no file limit. All processing happens in your browser.
Does removing comments delete the cell contents?
No. Only the comment annotations are removed. Cell values, formulas, number formats, styles, merged cells, and charts all stay exactly as they were.
Are threaded conversations removed too?
Yes. Modern Excel stores discussion threads in separate threadedComments parts, and this tool deletes them together with classic comments.
Will the file still open normally in Excel?
Yes. The comment parts, their content-type declarations, sheet relationships, and drawing anchors are removed consistently, so Excel opens a clean workbook with no repair prompt.
Are my comments or files uploaded to a server?
No. The archive is opened, edited, and repacked entirely in your browser with JavaScript. Nothing is transmitted anywhere.
Does it work with .xlsm files?
Yes. The cleaned copy is returned as .xlsm with your VBA macros preserved and intact.
Why is my file smaller after cleaning?
Comment XML parts, their declarations, and leftover drawing anchors are pure extra data. Once they are gone the archive recompresses more efficiently.
What about old .xls files?
The legacy .xls format uses a different binary structure. Convert it to .xlsx first — the converted file processes normally.
Related Tools
Need to check or edit the cleaned spreadsheet afterwards?
Open the free online Excel editor