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Fix Word Comments Showing 'Author' Instead of Commenter Name
Question details
The user needs to restore actual commenter names in Word documents where all comments are generically labeled as 'Author'.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- Windows
- Scenario
- Reviewing or collaborating on a Word document saved to SharePoint or OneDrive.
- Observed behavior
- Commenter names are replaced with the generic label 'Author' instead of displaying the original user's name.
Ensure you have the document open in the Windows desktop version of Word, as these specific privacy settings cannot be changed directly in the web version.
Disable the Removal of Personal Information in Trust Center
Stop Word from stripping out author names when saving the document by updating your Privacy Options.
This issue typically occurs if the document was previously processed by the Document Inspector to remove personal information. Disabling this setting prevents Word from removing identifying metadata in the future.
Click on 'File' in the top left corner of the Windows desktop version of Word, then select 'Options' at the bottom of the menu.
Navigate to 'Trust Center' in the left pane and click the 'Trust Center Settings' button.
Select 'Privacy Options' from the left sidebar and clear the checkbox for 'Remove personal information from file properties on save'.
Click 'OK' to apply the changes, then save the document again. Future comments will now display the correct commenter names.
Contact Microsoft Support for Tenant-Wide Issues
If the issue affects all users and documents across your organization's SharePoint or OneDrive, it requires backend troubleshooting.
Collaborate Seamlessly with WPS Office
Avoid complicated privacy settings and tenant-level errors. WPS Writer offers a lightweight, free alternative to Microsoft Word with built-in, easy-to-use collaboration and commenting tools that perfectly retain author information.
- 1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website to download the free WPS Office suite for your device.
- 2. Install the Application: Run the installer and follow the quick on-screen instructions to set up the software.
- 3. Open your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open your .docx file to seamlessly view and add comments with correct author names.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do all my Word comments suddenly say 'Author'?
This happens when the 'Remove personal information from file properties on save' setting is enabled, often after running the Document Inspector. Word strips out identifying metadata, replacing specific names with 'Author' to protect privacy.
Can I fix the 'Author' comment issue in Word for the Web?
No, the setting to prevent personal information removal must be changed in the Windows desktop version of Word. Once changed and saved, the correct names will display in the web version for new comments.
Will changing the Trust Center settings restore previous commenter names?
Unfortunately, no. Once personal information has been stripped and the document saved, previous names cannot be recovered. However, changing the setting ensures all future comments will display the correct user names.
What if clearing the privacy option doesn't fix the issue for my team?
If the issue persists across all users and documents in your organization, it might be a tenant-level glitch in SharePoint or OneDrive. Your Microsoft 365 administrator will need to contact Microsoft Support for backend troubleshooting.
