To create a link to a comment in Google Slides, open the presentation on a computer, click the comment, click the three-dot More button on that comment, and choose Link to this comment. Click Copy link in the box that opens, then paste the link into an email, a chat message, or a slide. The link only helps people who can already open the presentation, so check sharing before you send it.
One thing to know up front: Google’s comments help page describes the More button on a comment and lists Edit and Delete under it, but it does not describe the link option. The menu wording below may differ slightly in your account. If you cannot find it, the mention method later in this guide is fully documented by Google and does a similar job.
What a Comment Link Does
A comment in Google Slides is a note attached to a slide or to an object on a slide, such as a text box or picture. A group of replies under one comment is called a thread. A comment link is a web address for the presentation that also points at one thread, so the person who opens it does not have to hunt through every slide to find the note you mean.
It is useful when a presentation has many comments and you need a reviewer, teacher, or client to look at one of them. It is not a sharing tool. It does not give anyone access to the file, and it does not send a notification by itself. You still have to deliver the link.
Before You Start
- Use a computer. These steps are for Google Slides in a web browser. Google’s help for the Android and iPhone apps lists edit, reply, resolve, and delete for comments, and no link option.
- You need a comment. The presentation must already have the comment you want to point to. Adding one is covered below.
- You need the right role. Google’s permissions table says Commenters, Editors, and the Owner can comment. Viewers can only open the file.
- The other person needs access. They must be able to open the presentation, or the link will ask them to request access.
How to Create a Link to a Comment in Google Slides
- Open the presentation in Google Slides on your computer.
- Find the comment. Click it next to the slide, or click Show all comments at the top right to open the comments panel and click the comment there. Google says clicking a comment in the panel takes you to its location.
- Click the three-dot More button on the comment. It sits in the top corner of the comment box, near Resolve.
- Choose Link to this comment. A small box opens with the address for that comment.
- Click Copy link. The address is now on your clipboard, which is the temporary storage your computer uses for copied items.
- Paste the link where you want it with Ctrl + V on Windows or Command + V on a Mac.
If the menu only shows Edit and Delete, look for similar wording such as Get link to this comment, and try the same menu from the comments panel instead of from the slide. Because Google does not document this option, its name and position can change.
How to Check That the Link Works
Paste the link into a new browser tab and press Enter. The presentation should open on the slide that holds the comment, with that comment selected. If it only opens the first slide, copy the link again from the comment’s own menu. Copying the address from the browser’s address bar gives you a link to the slide, not to the comment.
Make Sure the Other Person Can Open It
A comment link follows the same sharing rules as the presentation. Check them before you send it.
- Click Share at the top right of the presentation.
- To add one person, enter their email address and choose Viewer, Commenter, or Editor. Pick Commenter or Editor if you want them to reply.
- Click Send.
Warning: under General access you can choose Anyone with the link instead. Google notes that this means anyone who gets the link can open the file, and your name and email address are visible as the owner. Only use it for presentations you are comfortable making that open. If you use a work or school account, Google says you might not be able to share outside your organization at all.
Google’s sharing guide has the full list of roles. To take access away later, see our guide on how to stop sharing a Google Docs file. The Share window works the same way in Slides.
How to Put the Comment Link on a Slide
You can paste the link into an email or chat, or you can add it to the presentation itself. These are Google’s documented steps for creating a link.
- Click where you want the link, or highlight the text you want to turn into a link.
- Click Insert > Link, or press Ctrl + K (Command + K on a Mac).
- Paste the comment link in the Link field.
- Click Apply.
Use text that says where the link goes, such as “See the note about the chart.” To take the link off again, click it and click Remove. The text stays on the slide.
Another Way: Mention the Person in the Comment
If you only want one person to see a comment, you may not need a link. Google’s documented method is to add them to the comment, and Google emails them for you.
- Click the comment and click Reply, or start a new comment.
- Type @ followed by the person’s name or email address.
- Click their name when it is suggested.
- Click Reply or Comment.
They get an email notification with your comment. Google says that if you add someone who does not have permission to open the file, they can ask you to share it. If the name suggestions get in your way, see how to stop Google Slides from suggesting contacts in comments.
How to Add a Comment First
If the presentation has no comment yet, select the slide, text, or image you want to comment on, click Add comment in the toolbar, type your comment, and click Comment. The keyboard shortcut is Ctrl + Alt + M on Windows or Command + Option + M on a Mac.
With a comment selected, Google’s Slides keyboard shortcuts list R to reply, E to resolve, and J or K to move to the next or previous comment.
Troubleshooting
- There is no link option in the menu. Make sure you are on a computer and that you clicked More on the comment, not the three dots in the browser or the Slides toolbar. If it is still missing, mention the person with @ instead.
- You cannot see any comments. Click View > Comments and choose Expand comments. Google says Hide comments hides them all and closes the comments panel.
- The other person sees an access request page. The file is not shared with the account they are signed in to. Share it with that address, or ask them to switch accounts.
- The comment is not in the list. It may have been resolved. In the comments panel, click All types to show resolved comments, then click Re-open on the comment.
- You cannot add or reply to comments. You probably have the Viewer role. Ask the owner to change you to Commenter or Editor.
- You see a comment limit alert. Google says to resolve comments that are not active, then click File, make a copy, and check Copy comments and suggestions. Comment links from the original file point to the original, so create new links in the copy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a comment link give someone access to my presentation?
No. A comment link is only an address. Who can open the presentation is controlled by the Share settings. A person without access is asked to request it, and you decide whether to approve.
Can I turn off a comment link after I send it?
Google does not document a way to switch off one comment link. What you can control is access to the file. Remove the person in Share, or change General access to Restricted, and the link stops opening the presentation for them.
Does the link still work after the comment is resolved or deleted?
Google does not say what a link to a resolved or deleted comment shows. Google does say that resolved comments stay in the file and can be reopened from the comments panel with Re-open. If you need someone to act on a comment, leave it open until they have seen it, and do not delete it.
Can I create a comment link in the Google Slides app on a phone?
Google’s help for the Android and iPhone apps does not list a link option for comments. It lists editing, replying, resolving, and deleting. Open the presentation in a browser on a computer to copy the link, or mention the person with @ in the app.
Does this work in Google Docs and Google Sheets?
Comments work the same way across Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, and Google covers all of them on one help page, so look for the same option under More on a comment in those apps. If you are cleaning up a spreadsheet, see how to delete a comment in Google Sheets.
Is a comment link the same as a link to a slide?
No. The address in your browser’s address bar changes as you move between slides, so copying it sends people to a slide. A comment link points to one comment thread on that slide.
Next Steps
Once your reviewers have answered, resolve the finished comments so the open list stays short. Then you can move on with these guides:
- How to present in Google Slides
- How to add and organize slides in Google Slides
- How to get the embed code for a Google Slides file
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are tested on current devices or checked against official product documentation, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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