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@mentions for comments in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint available to Insiders Fast & Slow

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Hello!  My name is Apurv, and I’m a Program Manager in Microsoft Office.

What’s New

We recently added the capability to @mention your collaborators in comments in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. @mentions makes it easier for you to notify your peers, pull them into a document, and work together wherever you need their attention.

 

 

How it Works

To get started, simply make a comment and type @ in a file saved on SharePoint or OneDrive for Business. You’ll see a drop-down list of contacts that updates as you type more characters. Pick a name and finish writing your comment. To be more casual, feel free to delete everything except the person’s first name in the @mention. To include more people, type @ again and mention someone else.

Gif showing the new Mentions UI in Excel.

Word, Excel, and PowerPoint will automatically send an email notification to whoever you tag with a link to the specific comment. This link will open in the Online version of the apps or directly in the iOS/Android app. If someone gets mentioned more than once, we’ll batch the emails together.

Learn more

Requirements & Known Limitations

  • You must be using Office 365.
  • The file must be saved in SharePoint or OneDrive for business.
  • If you’re using the desktop version of Word, Excel, or PowerPoint (i.e. on Windows or Mac), you have to have configured and signed in to your Office 365 email account.
  • Tenants with conditional access will not be able to create @mentions. Please contact your IT Administrator for more information.
  • @mentions does not work with guest or external accounts (you cannot @mention such accounts nor can such accounts @mention in files outside of their tenant). You can still share with them directly.

Available to all Insiders

  • Windows build 1812 (11126.20266) or later
  • Mac build 16.20 (18120801) or later
  • iOS build 2.20 (18120200) or later
  • Android build 16.0.11328.20008 or later
  • Available to all O365 users in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Online

Feedback

We’re eager to hear your feedback! You can leave comments on this post or submit feedback in Word/Excel/PowerPoint:

  • On Windows go to File > Feedback
  • On Mac go to Help > Feedback
  • On iOS/Android go to Settings > Send Feedback
  • For Office Online go to Help Improve Office

Learn what other information you should include in your feedback to ensure  it’s actionable and reaches the right people. We’re excited to hear from you! 

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Gif showing the new Mentions UI in Word