Office Settings & Configuration

How to Change the Initials Shown in Microsoft Office Documents

WPS Editor Oct 8, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to change the author initials displayed in Microsoft Office documents, particularly when multiple users share an Office installation or subscription.

How to Change the Initials Shown in Microsoft Office Documents

Product: Microsoft Office
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Co-authoring or editing shared documents where the wrong author initials appear for tracked changes and comments.
Observed behavior: Office displays the subscription owner's initials instead of the actual document editor's initials, commonly occurring when users share a single Microsoft account.

Before you start

Before modifying the personalization settings, check which Microsoft account is currently signed into your Office application, as cloud account synchronization frequently overrides local identity settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Change Initials in Office General Options

Update the local Office settings to customize the user name and initials for your specific installation of Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.

This method forces Microsoft Office to use the name and initials you manually specify, rather than automatically pulling them from the signed-in Microsoft account. It is ideal for local document editing and commenting.

Open General Options

Launch any Microsoft Office application, such as Word or Excel. Click on 'File' in the top left corner, then select 'Options' at the bottom of the left-hand menu.

Locate Personalization Settings

In the Options dialog box, ensure the 'General' tab is selected on the left. Scroll down to the section labeled 'Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office'.

Update Initials and Override Sign-in

Enter your preferred initials in the 'Initials' field. To prevent your Microsoft account from reverting this change, check the box that says 'Always use these values regardless of sign in to Office'.

Save Changes

Click 'OK' at the bottom of the dialog box to apply the new initials to all your Office applications.

Change Initials in Office General Options

Apply to All Office Apps: Updating these settings in one application, like Word, will automatically apply your new initials to Excel, PowerPoint, and other Office desktop apps.

Solution 2

Use Separate Microsoft Accounts for Family Subscriptions

Ensure each user is signed into Office with their own Microsoft account to prevent the subscription owner's initials from overriding other users' identities during co-authoring.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for a Hassle-Free Document Editing Experience

If managing multiple Microsoft accounts and complex subscription settings is becoming frustrating, WPS Office offers a completely free, lightweight, and user-friendly alternative. It seamlessly handles local user settings for tracking changes and comments without forcing account synchronizations.

1. Download and Install: Visit the official WPS website to download the free installation package and follow the on-screen instructions to install it on your device.
2. Set Up User Information: Open WPS Writer, go to Menu > Options > User Information, and directly set your preferred name and initials for document editing.
3. Open Office Documents: Double-click any existing Microsoft Office files to seamlessly open and edit them in WPS Office.

Highly compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats (.docx, .xlsx, .pptx).Completely free basic version with no complex family subscription sharing required.Lightweight installation that runs smoothly on almost all operating systems and devices.Easily manage local author identities and track changes without cloud account conflicts.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my initials keep reverting back to the subscription owner's?

If you are signed into Microsoft Office using the subscription owner's Microsoft account, cloud synchronization may override your local personalization settings upon restart. Ensure you check the 'Always use these values regardless of sign in to Office' box in the General settings.

Can I change the author name on previous comments in a document?

No, changing your user name and initials in the Office settings will only affect new comments and tracked changes. Existing comments will retain the name and initials that were active when they were originally created.

Do I have to change my initials separately in Word and Excel?

No. When you update your user name and initials in the General Options of one desktop app (such as Microsoft Word), the changes are automatically applied to all other Office apps, including Excel and PowerPoint, on the same computer.

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