Others

How to Hide Different Author Names on Microsoft Notes Across Devices

Maira Mehtab Oct 1, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to understand why different author initials or names appear next to their text in Microsoft notes across multiple devices and how to remove them.

How to Hide Different Author Names on Microsoft Notes Across Devices

Product: Microsoft Notes / OneNote
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Opening and viewing synced notes on different devices like a laptop, phone, or iPad.
Observed behavior: Initials or an outdated account name appear beside the text when the note content is displayed.

Before you start

Ensure that your notes have completely synced across all devices and that you are signed in to the correct Microsoft account to avoid conflicting author credentials.

Solution 1Recommended

Enable the 'Hide Authors' Feature in History Settings

Use the built-in History feature to quickly toggle off author initials and names from your note pages.

Microsoft note applications automatically track changes by tagging the text with the author's name or initials. If these tags are distracting or incorrect, you can easily hide them from the view without permanently deleting the version history.

Navigate to the History Tab

Open your Microsoft note application on your desktop or laptop. Look at the top ribbon menu and click on the 'History' tab.

Click on Hide Authors

Locate the 'Hide Authors' button within the History menu and click on it. This will immediately remove the author indicators from the displayed note content.

Enable the 'Hide Authors' Feature in History Settings

Author Tags Removed: The initials and names will no longer appear beside your text, giving you a cleaner reading and editing experience.

Solution 2

Verify Signed-In Accounts and Sync Settings

If old names continue to appear across different devices, verify that all devices are signed into the exact same updated Microsoft account.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Try WPS Office for Seamless Cross-Device Note Taking and Editing

If you find syncing issues or confusing author tags in Microsoft applications frustrating, WPS Office offers a lightweight, free alternative. It provides a clean interface and excellent format compatibility across Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android devices.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the suite for your specific device.
2. Install and Sign In: Complete the installation and sign in with your email or Google account to enable cloud sync.
3. Open Your Documents: Open your existing Office documents directly in WPS Office without losing any formatting.

100% compatible with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats.Seamless multi-device synchronization via WPS Cloud to avoid conflicting author issues.Clean, intuitive interface without distracting mandatory author tags.Lightweight software that runs smoothly on laptops, phones, and tablets.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do my notes show different author initials on my iPad compared to my laptop?

This typically happens when the app on your iPad is signed in with a different alias, an older account, or if the local device name was used as the default author before you signed in. Verifying your account on both devices ensures uniformity.

Will hiding authors delete the edit history of my notes?

No, toggling 'Hide Authors' only changes the visual display of the current page. The application still tracks who made changes in the background, and you can reveal the authors again at any time by clicking the button.

How can I permanently change the author name associated with my edits?

To permanently change your author name, you need to update your Microsoft account profile name online. Once updated, sign out and sign back in to the note application on all your devices to apply the new name to all future edits.

Office Quick Solutions