How to Fix Word Showing Microsoft Account Instead of Your Name
Question details
The user needs to display their actual name instead of a generic "Microsoft Account" label as the author or commenter in Word documents.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Authoring, editing, or commenting on documents where the user identity is tracked.
- Observed behavior
- Word continues to display "Microsoft Account" instead of the user's specified name, even after signing out and changing identity settings.
Ensure you have closed all active Word documents except one, and verify if your document is connected to a shared OneDrive location, which may force cloud account names over local settings.
Force Local User Name in General Options
Manually set your name and force Word to prioritize local settings over your Microsoft sign-in status.
By default, Microsoft Word attempts to sync your user information with your Microsoft Account. When glitches occur, it may display the literal text 'Microsoft Account'. You can override this by forcing Word to use local offline values.
Launch Microsoft Word, click on the "File" tab in the top-left corner, and select "Options" at the bottom of the left-hand menu.
In the Word Options window, ensure you are on the "General" tab. Scroll down to the section labeled "Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office".
Type your actual name in the "User name" field and your initials in the "Initials" field.
Check the box next to "Always use these values regardless of sign-in to Office". This is the critical step to prevent the cloud sync from overriding your name.
Click "OK" to save your settings. Close Word completely, reopen it, and create a new document to verify that your actual name is now being used for edits and comments.
Manually Update Author Name in Document Properties
If the issue persists in a specific existing document, the author property might be hardcoded to 'Microsoft Account'.
Switch to WPS Office for a Bug-Free, Localized Experience
Tired of Microsoft Word's cloud sync overriding your local settings and inserting 'Microsoft Account' into your documents? WPS Office is a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative that gives you full control over your document properties without forcing account syncs.
- 1. Download and Install: Get WPS Office for free from the official website and install it in seconds.
- 2. Set User Information: Go to Menu > Options > User Information to permanently set your author name.
- 3. Edit Seamlessly: Open your existing Word documents. Your specified name will now be perfectly tracked in all comments and revisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Word keep changing my name to my email address?
This happens when Word prioritizes your Microsoft Account profile data over local settings. Checking the 'Always use these values regardless of sign-in to Office' box in File > Options > General will usually resolve this.
How do I change the author name on previous comments in Word?
You cannot automatically retroactively change the name on existing comments using Word Options. You can use the Document Inspector to remove personal information, which will change all existing comment authors anonymously to 'Author', but you cannot batch-rename them to a specific custom name.
Does changing the user name in Word affect Excel and PowerPoint?
Yes, changing the User Name and Initials in Word's General Options will apply the same personal information settings across all installed Microsoft Office applications, including Excel and PowerPoint, on that computer.
