How do I remove reviewer names from document comments before sharing?
Quick answer
Make a separate copy of the document, then use its document-inspection feature to check comments, tracked changes, and personal information in file properties. Remove only what you intend to share, and inspect the saved copy again. If comments must stay, check whether your application can remove or replace their identities without deleting the comments; changing the file’s Author property alone does not change the name shown in comments or tracked changes. Inspection may not catch every concealed item. [S1] [S2]
The question, the details, the next step.
I want to share a document but not expose reviewer names in its comments. What should I do first?
Start by separating the copy you plan to share from your working original. Save a duplicate with a clear placeholder name such as [sharing copy], and keep editing the original. That matters because Microsoft warns that some data removed during inspection may not be recoverable with Undo. [S1]
Before changing anything, decide what the recipient actually needs: the comments, the tracked changes, both, or neither. Removing comments is not the same as anonymizing them. If the comments need to remain, do not assume that changing a general author setting or the file’s Author property will change the reviewer names already displayed in comments.
How do I check the names and other personal information in an Office document?
Use the document-inspection feature on the sharing copy, and review its findings before choosing what to remove. Microsoft says Document Inspector can find and remove Word comments and tracked-change revision marks, document version information, and document properties that may include personal information such as a username. [S1]
Treat those as separate checks: review comments and revisions, then review properties and version information. The name shown in comments or tracked changes comes from the Office user-name setting; the Author property is a different file property. Changing that property on an existing file does not change the application-wide user-name setting. [S2] So changing the Author field alone is not a reliable way to remove reviewer names from existing comments.
I need to keep useful comments for the recipient. Can I remove just the names?
Possibly, depending on the application and the document, but the cited Microsoft information does not establish a method for stripping reviewer names while retaining the comments themselves. The documented Inspector option can remove comments; that may not fit your goal if the comments are needed. [S1]
Check the options in your version of the application on the duplicate, and confirm whether a proposed option preserves the comment text while changing its displayed identity. If you cannot verify that, consider sharing a separate copy with comments removed and providing the needed feedback in a format you have reviewed, or ask the recipient whether named comments are necessary. Avoid relying on a changed Author property as a substitute. [S2]
What final check should I do before sending the file?
Save the sharing copy, close it, and open that saved copy again. Run the inspection on it and review the document itself for comments and tracked changes you did not mean to share. Check the file properties too. Then confirm that the copy still contains the content you intend to send.
For example, your handoff note can say: “Sharing copy checked: [comments removed / comments retained and identities reviewed]; [tracked changes checked]; [file properties checked].” Fill in only what you actually verified. This is a record of your checks, not proof that the file contains no identifying information: Microsoft cautions that inspection may not detect every kind of concealed content, and compatibility can affect detection. [S1]
A practical checklist
Save a separate sharing copy; leave the working original unchanged.
Decide whether comments and tracked changes need to remain.
Inspect the copy for comments, revision marks, version information, and personal file properties.
Do not treat changing the Author property as changing names already shown in comments or tracked changes.
Reopen and inspect the saved copy, then record only checks you actually completed.
A few more useful answers
Will changing the document’s Author property remove names from existing comments?
No. The Author property and the Office user-name setting that supplies names in comments and tracked changes are different. Changing the Author property on an existing file does not change that user-name setting. [S2]
Does document inspection guarantee that no identifying information remains?
No. Microsoft cautions that inspection may not detect every kind of concealed content and that compatibility can affect detection. Treat inspection as a useful check, not a guarantee. [S1]
Can I use the Inspector and keep all comments?
The cited information says the Inspector can remove comments, but does not establish a way to retain comment text while removing its reviewer identity. Test any available option on a copy and verify the result before sharing. [S1]
Sources
References used for this guide.
- [S1] Remove hidden data and personal information by inspecting Office files support.microsoft.com · Checked
- [S2] Change the author name for Office documents support.microsoft.com · Checked