Does Microsoft Word Change the Author Name When Someone Else Saves?
Question details
The user is asking whether the original author's name in a Microsoft Word document automatically changes when another person receives, edits, and saves the file, or if the author must be updated manually.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Collaborating on a document or verifying document origins, such as checking for potential plagiarism when multiple users handle a file.
- Observed behavior
- Word preserves the original creator's name as the Author. When another user edits and saves the file, their name is recorded under 'Last Modified By' rather than overwriting the original Author property.
Before attempting to modify document properties, ensure your document is fully saved and that you have the correct spelling of the name you intend to add as an author.
How to View and Manually Change the Author Name in Word
Since Word does not automatically replace the original author when a new person saves the file, you must use the 'Info' panel to manually add or remove authors.
Microsoft Word is designed to track the original creator of a document. When another user edits and saves the file on their computer, Word automatically logs their credentials under the "Last Modified By" property, keeping the original "Author" intact. To list a new person as an author, a manual update is required.
Open the document in Microsoft Word and click on the 'File' tab located in the top-left corner of the ribbon menu.
Select 'Info' from the left-hand navigation pane. Look at the right side of the screen to find the 'Related People' section.
Review the names listed under 'Author' and 'Last Modified By' to see who originally created the document and who saved it last.
Click on the 'Add an author' text field just below the existing author's name, type in the new person's name, and press Enter.
If you need to delete an author, right-click their name in the 'Author' list and select 'Remove Person' from the context menu.
Manage Document Properties Easily with WPS Office
WPS Office offers a fully featured Writer application that makes it incredibly simple to view, edit, and manage document properties, including Author and Last Modified metadata. It provides a seamless experience for document tracking and collaboration.
- 1. Open your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open the document whose properties you want to check or modify.
- 2. Access Document Properties: Click the 'Menu' button in the top-left corner and select 'Document Properties' from the drop-down list.
- 3. Navigate to the Summary Tab: In the Properties dialog box that appears, click on the 'Summary' tab.
- 4. Edit the Author Field: Locate the 'Author' field and type the new name, or delete the existing text to remove the current author.
- 5. Save Changes: Click 'OK' to apply the new metadata, then save your document to lock in the new author settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my name show up as 'Last Modified By' instead of the author?
When you edit and save a document that was originally created by someone else, Word logs your user account as the person who last modified the file. The original creator remains as the 'Author' to preserve the document's origin history.
How does Word determine the default author name for a new document?
Word pulls the default author name from the user information set in your Office application settings. You can change this default name by going to File > Options > General, and updating the 'User name' field under 'Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office'.
Can I remove all author and personal information from a Word document before sharing it?
Yes. To strip metadata, go to File > Info, click on 'Check for Issues', and select 'Inspect Document'. Run the Document Inspector, and then click 'Remove All' next to 'Document Properties and Personal Information'.
If I copy text from someone else's document into a new one, does their author name transfer?
No. Authorship is tied to the creation of the file itself, not the text within it. If you copy text and paste it into a brand-new blank document that you created, you will be listed as the author of that new document.
