Compatibility mode on Excel Sheet 2003 "cell comments" display - Microsoft Community

i used office excel since 1997-2003 & bought office 2016 installed on surface book windows 10 pro. when worked excel sheets created office 2003, comments within cell have font format in color shown in black box when hover mouse on it. if right-click on cell & choose edit comment, can see color fonts comment, when hover on mouse displayed in black box.

the problem can solved having bold font not color font or create new 2016 excel sheet, when hover mouse on it, you'll able see content inside not black box. it's problem of compatibility mode comments have color fonts inside. i've tried install wps office 2016 windows pc (www.wpc.com) , read comments have color fonts formatted no problem, screenshots capture below in onedrive !!!

it happens every excel sheet created in 1997-2003 in compatibility mode & no error message reporting showing comments in black boxes having color font, comment no color font display normal.

i've opened question pro office excel team, spent 2 weeks knowing doesn't have problem on desktop pc & little problem(1-2%) on asus zenbook pro. need surface team on this, have had hard time working because there were  many comments within cells have color fonts being formatted in old excel sheets.

below screenshots took(one display black box & 1 when right-click choose edit comment see inside comment & wps excel windows can display comments color fonts) + 1 sample excel 2003 color fonts in cell comments can try yourself. i've captured screenshot of excel & office version & "pramot surface book - windows 10 pro version & cpu", i'm using surface book 64-bits windows 10 pro.  :

  https://1drv.ms/f/s!ap-wbai9gfmemvbxycy7uwabe7djlw

just know i've try set display setting 1,920 x 1080 instead of 3,000 x 2,000 resolution, it's still same seeing black box when hovering on comments color fonts. comments no color fonts, can "format comment", change automatic color red, when hover on cell, you'll see comment in black box !!! if create new excel sheet in 2016 excel format not compatibility mode, can format comment have color fonts & hover on mouse showing ok - not in black box.

i tried out 2003 excel sheet "investment portfolio" on asus zenbook pro using excel 2016, luckily allowed me open file though disabling of features it's expired 30-days trial period. result asus zenbook pro can display of comments color fonts, few of them displayed in black boxes. few mean 3-5 cells on whole worksheet, it's lot less surface book of cells has color fonts comment cell displayed black boxes !!!

now think relates display cards. asus zenbook pro 2016 uses nvidia geforce gtx 960m , surface book 2016 uses intel hd graphics 520. have different capability display color fonts comment cells, asus can display 99% surface book can display 1-2%(some of them have color fonts in comment cell & can displayed). confirm surface book can display few of them(98-99%) show black boxes !

i reanalyzing issue & curios why "wps windows pc" running on asus zenbook pro can display color comment cells 100% no black box issue @ ??? mean 100% on asus zenbook pro no balck box being shown on color fonts comments @ !!! when used same "investment portfolio" opening microsoft excel 2016, showed color fonts comment 98% still having few cells shown black boxes, of cell comments color fonts worked fine. on other hand, surface book show 1-2% of color fonts comment, 98% shown black boxes !!!

***post moved moderator appropriate forum category.***

hi,

we researching possible solution regard query. keep updated once found resolution.

regards.

Office / Excel / Windows 10 / Office 2016