How to Preserve Comment Author Names When Converting Word to PDF
Question details
The user wants to ensure that comment and tracked-change author names are retained and visible when converting a Microsoft Word document to a PDF file.
- Product
- Microsoft Word
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Exporting or saving a reviewed Word document containing comments and tracked changes into a PDF format for sharing, review, or archiving.
- Observed behavior
- Comment and tracked-change author names disappear or are hidden in the resulting PDF file, making it difficult to identify who made the notes.
Ensure that your Word document has tracked changes and comments properly inserted, and check that you haven't accidentally anonymized reviewers in your document's Trust Center Privacy Options.
Enable Markup for Exporting to PDF
The most reliable way to keep author names is to ensure Word is set to display all markup and to specifically include the markup within the PDF export options.
By default, standard PDF exports might flatten the document and discard markup elements to present a clean copy. You must manually override the save settings to include the review panels.
Go to the 'Review' tab on the ribbon, click on 'Display for Review' in the Tracking group, and select 'All Markup'. Ensure 'Comments' is checked in the 'Show Markup' dropdown menu.
Navigate to 'File' > 'Export' > 'Create PDF/XPS Document', and click the 'Create PDF/XPS' button.
In the Save As dialog, before hitting publish, click the 'Options...' button. Under the 'Publish what' section, change the selection from 'Document' to 'Document showing markup'.
Click 'OK' to close the options box, choose your desired file location, and click 'Publish' to generate the PDF with author names intact.
Use Print to PDF with Markup Enabled
If standard exporting fails, you can use the virtual 'Print to PDF' feature while ensuring the print settings are configured to include document markup.
Convert Word to PDF with Comments Preserved Using WPS Office
WPS Office provides a highly reliable 'Export to PDF' feature that perfectly retains your document's formatting, tracked changes, and comment author names without navigating complex settings.
- 1. Open your Document: Launch WPS Writer and open the Word document that contains your comments and tracked changes.
- 2. Ensure Comments are Visible: Go to the 'Review' tab and make sure the markup is set to display so that comments are visible in the document margins.
- 3. Export to PDF: Click on the 'Menu' button (or 'Tools' tab) and select 'Export to PDF'.
- 4. Save the File: Choose your desired save directory and click 'Export to PDF'. The resulting PDF will accurately reflect the document's review state, including author names.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my comments say 'Author' instead of the real name in Word?
This usually happens if the 'Remove personal information from file properties on save' option is enabled. To fix it, go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Privacy Options, and uncheck this setting before re-saving the document.
Can I hide the comments when exporting to PDF?
Yes. If you want a clean PDF without comments, go to the Review tab, change the view to 'No Markup' or uncheck 'Comments' under 'Show Markup', and then export or save as PDF as you normally would.
Will Acrobat Reader show the author names if I hover over them?
Yes, if the PDF was generated correctly with markup, most modern PDF readers like Adobe Acrobat Reader and WPS PDF will display the author names either in the visible right-hand margin or as a tooltip when you hover over the comment icon.
Why are my comments cut off when printed to PDF?
If comments are cut off, the page margins may not be accommodating the comment balloons. Try shrinking the document scale for printing or adjusting the markup area width in the Advanced Track Changes Options before creating the PDF.
