How to Find the Author of a Word Document Online or on Mobile
Question details
The user wants to know how to view the original author or creator of a Microsoft Word document using a mobile device or a web browser.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- Android, iOS, Web Browser
- Scenario
- Attempting to identify the creator of a shared document while working away from a desktop computer on a mobile phone or via a browser.
- Observed behavior
- The feature to view document properties and author metadata is missing in Word for the web, Android, iOS, and mobile browsers.
Keep in mind that document properties, including the author's name, are embedded as metadata in the file itself. Ensure you have the actual file downloaded to your device, as some basic cloud previewers strip out this metadata.
View Document Properties on a Desktop Computer
Since mobile and web versions currently lack the ability to show the author, using the desktop version of Microsoft Word is the most reliable workaround.
The complete suite of document metadata, including the original author and the last person to modify the file, is exclusively visible in the desktop applications for Windows and Mac.
Sync the Word document to your cloud storage (like OneDrive or Google Drive) or email it to yourself so you can access it on a Mac or PC.
Launch the Microsoft Word desktop application and open your downloaded document.
Click on the 'File' menu in the top-left corner of the screen and select 'Info' from the sidebar.
Look at the right side of the Info screen under 'Related People'. Here you will clearly see the names listed next to 'Author' and 'Last Modified By'.
Understand Web and Mobile Limitations
Acknowledge the current limitations of Word for the web and mobile apps regarding document metadata.
Check File Properties via Mobile File Manager
Sometimes, your device's native file manager can display basic file metadata, though it may not always show the specific Word author.
Use WPS Office to View Document Details
Unlike many streamlined mobile word processors, WPS Office provides comprehensive tools that allow you to manage, edit, and view basic file information for your documents directly from your mobile device.
- 1. Open your document in WPS Office: Launch the WPS Office app on your mobile device and open the Word document you want to inspect.
- 2. Access the Tools menu: Tap the 'Tools' icon at the bottom of the screen to open the features panel.
- 3. View File Info: Navigate to the 'File' tab and tap on 'File Info' to view the available properties and details of your document.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the author name on a Word document using my phone?
No, changing the author name or editing document metadata typically requires the desktop version of a word processor. Mobile apps currently lack the advanced property editing features needed to modify the author.
Why doesn't Word for the web show the author?
Word for the web is a streamlined version designed primarily for quick editing and basic collaboration. Advanced features, including detailed document properties and metadata viewing, are reserved for the full desktop application to keep the web version fast and lightweight.
Does saving a Word document as a PDF on mobile preserve the author's name?
It depends on the conversion tool used. While desktop applications usually carry over author metadata into the PDF properties by default, mobile PDF conversions and web-based printing often strip this background information out of the final file.
