Commenting on a design in Studio

In Studio, comments on a design live on the canvas itself. Each comment is anchored to a page and, if you want, to a specific layer, so whoever reads it sees exactly what you mean.

Who can comment

Project Editors and Commenters can comment, and so can guests whose link allows Comment or Edit. A Viewer can only see the design and its comments. See Roles and permissions for details.

Switch to Comment mode

1. Open the piece and go to the Canvas tab.
2. At the top, in the canvas mode selector, choose Comment. The other modes are View and Edit; depending on your role you'll see one, two or all three.
3. The review panel opens on the right with every comment on the piece.

In Comment mode you can't move anything in the design, so nobody changes it by accident while reviewing.

Leave a comment

1. In the field at the bottom of the panel, press Point on the canvas.
2. Click the spot in the design you want to comment on. If you click an element (a text, an image, a shape), the comment is anchored to that layer and stays on that same spot even if the layer moves. If you click an empty area, the comment applies to the whole page.
3. Write your comment and press Post, or press Enter.

If you don't point at anything, the comment is saved for the active page. The field's hint tells you which one ("Comment on page 1…").

To write several lines, use Shift + Enter. On phones and tablets, Enter adds a new line and you send with the button. Ctrl + Enter (or ⌘ + Enter on a Mac) always sends.

If sending fails, your text isn't lost: it stays in the field so you can try again.

Read and sort the review

Each comment appears as a numbered pin on the canvas and as a thread in the panel. Click either one to jump to the other.

At the top of the panel you have Search and filter:

• Open and Resolved, to see what's left to do or what's already closed.
• Author, to see only one person's comments.
• Sort by Position, Newest or Oldest.
• Page filter: click a comment's p. N label to see only that page, and Remove page filter to see everything again.

If a layer you pointed at no longer exists, the comment says so ("The layer this points to no longer exists") but stays on its page. Comments made on an earlier version of the design carry the Earlier version label.

Reply, resolve and reopen

In each thread you can:

1. Reply, to continue the conversation in the same thread.
2. Resolve, when the change is done. The thread moves to Resolved.
3. Reopen, if it needs another look after all.

From the More menu on your own comment you can edit or delete it. When you delete it, Undo appears for a few seconds in case it was a mistake.

Move around with the keyboard

With focus on the comment list:

• J or ↓: next comment.
• K or ↑: previous comment.
• Enter: opens the selected comment and shows it on the canvas.

Frequently asked questions

Can I draw on a design when commenting?

No. On the canvas, comments are placed with a pin on a page or a layer. Freehand drawing is available when you comment on a video.

What happens to a comment if someone moves the layer?

The pin follows the layer and stays on the same spot of it. If the layer is deleted, the comment stays on its page and warns that the layer no longer exists.

Can a client comment without an account?

Yes. Create a guest link with Comment permission and share it. We explain how in Links for clients.

Are comments deleted when I resolve them?

No. A resolved comment moves to the Resolved filter and you can Reopen it at any time. Comments only disappear if you delete them or the piece is deleted.