--- title: "Editorial review — comment, approve, and gate publish" slug: "/help/demos/edit/editorial-review" topic: "demos" last_updated: "2026-09-08T09:32:44.928Z" --- # Overview **Editorial review** turns any demo into a reviewable draft. Teammates leave comments pinned to elements on the canvas, tag reviewers with @mentions, and mark a demo as **Approved for publish** — a gate the editor enforces before the demo can go out. Use editorial review when you want to: - Get product marketing, legal, or a manager to sign off before a demo ships. - Collect line-by-line feedback pinned to the exact element being discussed, rather than in a Slack thread. - Track who requested changes, who resolved them, and who approved the final version. Editorial review is available to Editors, Presenters, Account Owners, and Admins on any demo they can open in the editor. --- # Turn on comment mode Open the demo in the editor and click the **Comment** button in the top toolbar. The canvas switches to comment mode: - Clicking any element on the screen drops a numbered **pin** on it. - A **thread panel** slides in from the right where you write the comment. - The property panel and edit controls are hidden — comment mode is read-only for the demo itself. Click **Done** or press **Esc** to leave comment mode. Existing pins stay visible when comment mode is off; hovering a pin previews the first comment in its thread. --- # Leave a comment 1. In comment mode, click the element you want to comment on. A pin appears with a new thread in the panel. 2. Type your comment. Use `@` to mention a teammate — they receive an in-app notification and an email, with a deep link back to the thread. 3. Click **Comment** to post. The thread updates in real time for anyone else viewing the demo. Threads support: - **Replies** — anyone on the thread can reply. - **Resolve** — click **Resolve** on a thread to hide it from the default view. Resolved threads are still available under the **Resolved** filter and can be reopened. - **Edit / delete** — you can edit or delete your own comments; admins can delete any comment. Every comment records its author and timestamp, and the pin colors reflect thread state (open, resolved, awaiting your reply). --- # Review states The **Review state** control in the editor header cycles a demo through its lifecycle: | State | What it means | | --- | --- | | **Draft** | Default. Anyone with edit access can change the demo freely; publishing is allowed. | | **In review** | The demo is waiting for reviewers to weigh in. Publishing is blocked with a message pointing to the open threads and the missing approval. | | **Changes requested** | A reviewer has flagged blocking feedback. Publishing stays blocked until the state moves back to **In review** or **Approved**. | | **Approved for publish** | A reviewer has signed off. Publishing is allowed; the approver's name and timestamp appear on the share modal. | Anyone with edit access can change the review state. Approval requires a reviewer other than the last person who edited the demo, so authors can't approve their own work. --- # The publish gate When a demo is **In review** or in **Changes requested**, opening the **Create & share** modal shows a **Publish blocked** banner with: - The reason (unresolved comments, missing approval, or requested changes). - A list of the open threads that need attention. - A link back to comment mode to address them. The **Publish** and **Copy link** buttons are disabled until the state moves to **Approved for publish** (or back to **Draft**, if you're intentionally shipping without review). --- # Notifications and the editorial inbox Editorial review writes to the same notification system as demo activity. You'll get a notification when: - Someone @mentions you in a comment. - Someone replies to a thread you started or commented on. - A demo you own moves into **Changes requested** or **Approved for publish**. - Someone assigns a review to you. The **Inbox** (left sidebar → **Inbox**) lists every editorial notification across every demo in your workspace, filtered by unread, mentions, and threads assigned to you. Click any row to jump to the demo, in comment mode, with the thread already open. --- # Library markers In the library, demos with open editorial activity show a small badge on the tile: - **N comments** — count of open threads. - **In review** / **Changes requested** / **Approved** — the current review state. Filter the library by review state from the top of the demos grid to find everything waiting on you. --- # FAQ **Can viewers see comments?** No. Comments live only inside the editor and are visible to workspace members with access to the demo. They are never shown in the published demo, the player, or the shared link. **Do comments survive a template update?** Yes. Comments are pinned to the underlying element identity, so applying a template update or re-syncing screens keeps the threads attached wherever the element ended up. If an element is deleted, its thread moves to the demo-level **Orphaned** list where you can reopen or archive it. **Who can approve?** Anyone with edit access on the demo, other than the member who made the most recent edit. This prevents self-approval loops. **Can I disable the publish gate for a specific demo?** Set the review state to **Draft** to reopen publishing. The demo's approval history is preserved and re-appears if you move back to **In review** later.