Viewing Notes: Free InCopy Tutorial
Master InCopy Note Management and Navigation Features
InCopy's notes feature allows editors and writers to add comments and feedback directly within documents without affecting the main content flow.
Three Ways to View Notes in InCopy
Galley View
Inline note display with colored brackets. Best for text-heavy editing sessions where you need to see notes alongside content.
Story View
Similar to Galley view but with different formatting. Ideal for reviewing story structure while accessing notes.
Layout View
Notes appear as markers with mouse-over functionality. Perfect for design review and layout-focused editing.
Managing Note Visibility in Galley and Story Views
Expand Collapsed Notes
Click on the colored brackets surrounding a collapsed note to expand it and view the full text content.
Collapse Expanded Notes
Click on any of the colored brackets around an expanded note to collapse it and reduce visual clutter.
Bulk Note Management
Use Notes menu and select Expand/Collapse Notes in Story to open or close all notes simultaneously.
Use the bulk expand/collapse feature when switching between detailed editing and overview reading to maintain optimal workflow.
Accessing Notes in Layout View
Locate Note Markers
Look for note markers embedded within the text that indicate the presence and location of attached notes.
Hover Over Marker
Position your mouse cursor over the top half of the note marker to activate the interactive functionality.
Click to View
When the cursor changes to a hand icon, click on the marker to open and display the note content.
Layout View Note Display
Viewing Notes: in Galley & Story Views
When a note appears collapsed in your document, you'll see colored brackets
indicating hidden content. Click directly on these brackets to expand the note and reveal its full text—a crucial step for comprehensive content review.
To maintain a cleaner workspace while editing, collapse expanded notes by clicking on any of the colored brackets
surrounding the note content. This allows you to focus on the main text while keeping annotations accessible.For comprehensive review sessions or final approval stages, use the global note management feature: navigate to Notes > Expand/Collapse Notes in Story to toggle the visibility of all notes simultaneously. This is particularly valuable when reviewing documents with extensive editorial feedback.
Layout view presents a different approach to note visualization, designed to maintain the integrity of your document's visual design while preserving access to editorial feedback.
Managing Note Visibility in Galley and Story Views
Expand Collapsed Notes
Click on the colored brackets surrounding a collapsed note to expand it and view the full text content.
Collapse Expanded Notes
Click on any of the colored brackets around an expanded note to collapse it and reduce visual clutter.
Bulk Note Management
Use Notes menu and select Expand/Collapse Notes in Story to open or close all notes simultaneously.
Use the bulk expand/collapse feature when switching between detailed editing and overview reading to maintain optimal workflow.
Viewing Notes: in Layout View
In layout view, notes appear as discrete markers
embedded within the text flow. These markers preserve the visual integrity of your layout while clearly indicating annotation locations—essential for maintaining professional presentation standards during client reviews.To access note content, position your cursor over the upper portion of the marker
. The cursor will transform into a hand icon 
, indicating the marker is active and clickable. This interaction model ensures notes remain unobtrusive until specifically accessed.
The Notes panel provides centralized note management capabilities, offering additional efficiency for editors working with complex, heavily annotated documents.
Accessing Notes in Layout View
Locate Note Markers
Look for note markers embedded within the text that indicate the presence and location of attached notes.
Hover Over Marker
Position your mouse cursor over the top half of the note marker to activate the interactive functionality.
Click to View
When the cursor changes to a hand icon, click on the marker to open and display the note content.
Layout View Note Display
Notes Panel Navigation
Previous Note Button
Located at the bottom of the Notes panel. Click to jump backward through notes in chronological or document order.
Next Note Button
Positioned alongside Previous button at panel bottom. Use to advance forward through all notes in the document.
Notes Panel Best Practices
Provides consistent access to navigation controls and note overview
More efficient than clicking panel buttons for rapid note review
Match panel usage with Galley, Story, or Layout view based on editing needs
Key Takeaways