Document Editing Problems

How to Change or Hide a Reviewer Name in a Word Document

Phi Hung Vo Oct 8, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs a way to hide or replace a specific reviewer's name in a document's existing tracked changes and comments, preferably without stripping the identities of all other reviewers.

How to Change or Hide a Reviewer Name in an Existing Word Document

Product: Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: A user is finalizing a document with multiple reviewers' markups and needs to anonymize or change one specific reviewer's identity before sharing.
Observed behavior: Changing the username in Word preferences only affects future revisions, leaving the existing tracked changes and comments stamped with the old name.

Before you start

Create a backup copy of your document before attempting to remove personal information, as anonymizing reviewer names is a permanent action that cannot be undone once the file is saved.

Solution 1Recommended

Remove All Personal Information from the Document

Use this built-in feature if it is acceptable to change all reviewers' names to "Author" in order to protect privacy.

This method is the most reliable way to strip identifying information from a Word document without using code. However, it will affect all reviewers, not just one. Once applied, every existing comment and tracked change will be attributed to "Author".

Open Document Protection

In your Word document, navigate to the top menu and select 'Tools', then click on 'Protect Document' (or navigate to 'File' > 'Options' > 'Trust Center' > 'Trust Center Settings' > 'Privacy Options' on Windows).

Enable Personal Information Removal

Check the box labeled 'Remove personal information from this file on save'.

Save and Reopen

Click 'OK' to apply the setting. Save the document, close it completely, and reopen it. All reviewer names in revisions and comments should now appear as "Author".

Remove All Personal Information from the Document

Permanent Action: Once the document is saved and the personal information is removed, you cannot revert the reviewer names back to their original states. Always keep a master copy with the original names if needed.

Solution 2

Use a VBA Macro to Target a Single Reviewer

Use this method if you need to change a specific reviewer's name while keeping the identities of other reviewers intact.

Solution 3

Change Username for Future Revisions

Use this to ensure any new edits or comments you make from this point forward use a different name.

Efficient Document Review Tool

Easily Manage Tracked Changes and Privacy in WPS Writer

WPS Writer provides comprehensive tools to track changes, review comments, and protect your privacy. You can easily remove personal information before sharing a file to ensure reviewer anonymity, all within a highly compatible and lightweight editing environment.

1. Open the Document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document containing the tracked changes.
2. Access Options: Click the 'Menu' button in the top left corner and select 'Options' from the drop-down menu.
3. Navigate to Security: Click on the 'Security' tab on the left side of the Options dialog.
4. Remove Personal Info: Under Privacy Options, check the box for 'Remove personal information from file properties on save'. Click OK, then save and reopen the document.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word (.docx) documents and tracked changesBuilt-in Security options to quickly remove personal information on saveIntuitive Review tab for managing multiple reviewers and commentsLightweight, fast, and completely free for basic editing tasks

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why didn't changing my username update the existing comments?

Changing your username in the application settings only applies to new comments and revisions created after the change was made. Existing revisions are permanently stamped with the username that was active at the exact time the edit was performed.

Can I revert the "Author" tags back to the original reviewer names later?

No. Once you use the "Remove personal information" feature and save the document, the original names are permanently replaced by "Author". You cannot restore them unless you have a backup copy of the original file.

Can I just hide the reviewer names without permanently deleting them?

Yes, for your own viewing, you can go to the Review tab, click 'Show Markup', select 'Specific People', and uncheck the names you wish to hide. However, this only hides them on your screen; if you send the file to someone else, they will still be able to see the names.

Will saving the document as a PDF hide the reviewer names?

It can, provided you choose not to print the markup. When saving or printing to PDF, ensure you select 'Document' instead of 'Document showing markup' in the export or print settings. This generates a clean PDF without any tracked changes or comments.

Document & File Issues