Office Settings & Configuration

How Microsoft Word Populates the Author Document Property

John Wilson Oct 9, 2026 872 views

Question details

Understand how the Microsoft 365 Word Author document property is generated and whether it serves as reliable proof of document authorship.

How Microsoft Word Populates the Author Document Property

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Reviewing document properties and validating authorship of a Microsoft Word document.
Observed behavior: The Author property is automatically populated when a document is created but can be easily modified, meaning it cannot be used as strict evidence of authorship.

Before you start

Keep in mind that document properties can be edited by anyone with appropriate permissions, so the Author property should be used for general organizational purposes rather than legal proof of creation.

Solution 1Recommended

Check and Modify the Default Word User Name

You can view or change the default name Word uses to populate the Author property for all newly created documents.

By default, Word pulls the Author property from the User name setting in the application options. This is typically populated during the Microsoft 365 installation from the account used to sign in.

Open Word Options

Click on the 'File' tab in the top-left corner of Microsoft Word, then select 'Options' at the bottom of the menu.

Locate Personalization Settings

In the 'General' tab, scroll down until you see the section labeled 'Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office'.

Update the User Name

View or edit the 'User name' field. The name entered here will be automatically applied as the Author for any new documents you create moving forward.

Check and Modify the Default Word User Name

Impact on Existing Documents: Changing this setting only affects newly created documents. It will not retroactively change the Author property on existing files.

Solution 2

Edit the Author Property Directly in an Existing Document

Modify or insert the Author property for a specific document without changing your global Microsoft Word settings.

Solution 3

Locate the Property in the Windows Registry (Advanced)

For system administrators, the identity value that populates the Author field is stored in the Windows Registry.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can the Word Author property be used as legal proof of authorship?

No, the Author document property is not reliable evidence of authorship. Because it is initially pulled from local User name settings and can be easily modified by anyone with editing access to the file, it cannot guarantee who originally wrote the content.

Why does my Microsoft 365 account name appear as the author?

During the Microsoft 365 installation or initial sign-in process, Word often populates the default User name field with your Microsoft account identity. This name is then automatically applied as the Author for all new documents you create.

Can I remove the author name before sharing a Word document?

Yes. Before sharing a file, you can remove the author data to protect your privacy. Go to 'File' > 'Info', click 'Check for Issues', select 'Inspect Document', and then choose to remove 'Document Properties and Personal Information'.

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