File Sharing Problems

How to Show Internal Collaborator Names in Shared Office Files

Ayan Masood Oct 21, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to display the real identities of internal collaborators instead of anonymous 'guest' labels in shared Office files.

How to Show Internal Collaborator Names in Shared Office Files

Product: Microsoft 365
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Collaborating on shared cloud documents with internal team members.
Observed behavior: Internal users appear as anonymous guest collaborators when accessing files via an 'Anyone-with-the-link' permission.

Before you start

Ensure you have the necessary file ownership or administrative permissions to change the document's sharing settings, and confirm that your internal collaborators have active accounts to sign in with.

Solution 1Recommended

Change Sharing Link to Specific People

Adjusting the share settings to explicitly require sign-in ensures that the system can identify and display the collaborator's real name.

When a file is shared using the 'Anyone with the link' option, it bypasses authentication. Because users are not required to log in, the application cannot identify them, resulting in generic 'Guest' labels. To fix this, you must restrict the sharing permissions.

Open the shared file

Navigate to the file in your cloud storage (like OneDrive or SharePoint) or open it directly in your Office application.

Access sharing settings

Click the 'Share' button typically located in the top-right corner of the application window.

Change link permissions

Click on the current link settings (e.g., 'Anyone with the link can edit') to open the detailed Link settings menu.

Select Specific People

Choose the 'Specific people' or 'People in your organization' option, ensure the box to allow editing is checked, and click 'Apply'.

Invite internal users

Enter the email addresses of your internal collaborators and send the invitation. When they sign in to access the file, their actual display names will appear.

Identity Verified: By requiring authentication, the Office application will now accurately track and display the active collaborator's name and cursor location.

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Experience Seamless Team Collaboration with WPS Office

If you frequently struggle with anonymous guests and complex admin settings in Microsoft 365, WPS Office offers a straightforward, lightweight alternative. It provides built-in cloud sharing that makes identifying collaborators intuitive and hassle-free.

1. Open your file in WPS Office: Launch WPS Office and open the document you wish to collaborate on.
2. Click Share: Click the 'Share' button in the top right corner to open the collaboration panel.
3. Set Permissions: Choose to invite specific contacts or require login for link access, ensuring all collaborator names are visible.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my colleagues show up as 'Guest' in our shared documents?

This happens when the document is shared using an 'Anyone with the link' setting, which allows anonymous access. Without an active sign-in session, the system cannot identify the user and defaults their display name to 'Guest'.

Do users need an account to show their names during collaboration?

Yes, to display a specific user's identity, they must be signed into a recognized account that is explicitly granted access to the document.

Can I force users to sign in without changing the link type?

No, the 'Anyone with the link' option intentionally bypasses authentication. To force a sign-in and reveal collaborator names, you must restrict the sharing settings to 'Specific people' or 'People in your organization'.

Document & File Issues