Office Settings & Configuration

How to Remove the Personal Information Warning in Word

Chanuka Geekiyanage Oct 9, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to stop Microsoft Word from displaying a warning banner or prompt regarding the removal of personal information from file properties during the save process.

How to Remove the Personal Information Warning in Word

Product: Microsoft Word
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Saving a new or existing document that triggers a privacy settings warning about hidden metadata.
Observed behavior: A warning appears repeatedly upon saving, indicating that the document contains personal information or has privacy settings configured to strip file properties, disrupting the workflow.

Before you start

Before proceeding, note that disabling this privacy feature means your author name, company name, and other metadata will remain embedded in the file's properties when you share it with others.

Solution 1Recommended

Disable the Feature via Trust Center Settings

The most straightforward method to stop this warning is by unchecking the specific privacy option within Word's Trust Center.

Microsoft Word includes a document-specific privacy setting designed to strip metadata upon saving. Disabling this setting directly from the Options menu will stop the recurring warning.

Open Word Options

Launch Microsoft Word, click on the 'File' tab in the top-left corner, and select 'Options' at the very bottom of the left-hand menu.

Navigate to the Trust Center

In the Word Options dialog box, select 'Trust Center' from the left pane, then click the 'Trust Center Settings...' button on the right side.

Modify Privacy Options

Click on 'Privacy Options' in the left menu. Look for the Document-specific settings section and uncheck the box labeled 'Remove personal information from file properties on save'.

Save Changes

Click 'OK' to close the Trust Center, and 'OK' again to close Word Options. Save and reopen your document to verify the warning is gone.

Disable the Feature via Trust Center Settings

Grayed Out Checkbox: If the 'Remove personal information' checkbox is grayed out, you must first run the Document Inspector (File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document) before you can toggle this setting.

Solution 2

Verify or Disable the Setting Using VBA

Advanced users can utilize a quick VBA macro command to verify the status of the privacy setting and disable it without navigating through the Trust Center menus.

Manage Document Privacy Settings Easily in WPS Office

WPS Office offers a simplified and intuitive interface for managing document metadata and privacy, allowing you to configure personal information settings seamlessly without persistent interruptions.

1. Launch WPS Writer: Open your document using WPS Writer.
2. Access the Options Menu: Click the 'Menu' button in the top-left corner and select 'Options' from the drop-down list.
3. Navigate to Security Settings: In the Options dialog, click on the 'Security' tab located in the left pane.
4. Adjust Privacy Preferences: Under the Privacy Options section, uncheck 'Remove personal information from file properties on save' and click 'OK'.

Streamlined Security tab for easy access to document privacy settings.Seamless compatibility with all Microsoft Word document formats (.doc, .docx).Lightweight, fast, and completely free to use.No intrusive warning pop-ups during your standard save workflow.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is the 'Remove personal information' checkbox grayed out and unclickable?

The checkbox is typically disabled if the document has not yet been processed by the Document Inspector. To enable it, navigate to File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document, run the inspection, and then return to the Trust Center. The checkbox will now be available to toggle.

Will disabling this setting affect all my other Word documents?

No, the 'Remove personal information from file properties on save' setting is saved on a per-document basis. Disabling it in your current file will not alter the privacy configurations of any other existing Word documents.

What kind of personal information is actually removed when this setting is left on?

When active, Word strips out metadata such as author names, manager details, company name, reviewer names in tracked changes, and last saved by information from the file's background properties.

How do I stop this warning from appearing in every new blank document?

If this warning appears for all new files, the setting is likely enabled in your default template. To fix this, you need to open your Normal.dotm template file directly, disable the privacy setting in the Trust Center, and save the template so future documents inherit the correct configuration.

Office App Problems