How to De-Identify Track Changes in Microsoft Word

To de-identify tracked changes in Word while keeping the edits visible, save a copy, enable Word’s personal-information removal setting, and save the copy. Then reopen it and check that revision names are no longer identifiable. The exact option can vary by Word version, so verify the result before sharing; accepting all changes removes the revision history rather than anonymizing it.

Tracked changes can reveal the name or initials associated with each edit, and comments may identify their authors too. Removing the document’s general author property alone may not remove names attached to revisions. The steps below distinguish those types of information and show how to check the finished file.

What You’ll Need

The Word document you want to share, plus permission to edit it.
The desktop version of Microsoft Word for Windows, preferably Microsoft 365, to use the personal-information setting described below. Some builds or managed work accounts may not show the same option.
A separate copy of the document for cleanup. Keep the original unchanged until you have verified the copy.
A way to review the file after saving, ideally by closing and reopening it in Word. If the document is sensitive, ask a colleague who is not the author to check the copy before it is distributed.

Step-by-Step

Make a working copy. Open the document in Word for Windows and choose File > Save As. Save a new copy with a clear name, such as Review-copy-anonymized.docx, in the location where you intend to prepare it. Keep the original somewhere secure. This gives you a recovery point if you remove the wrong content or discover that your version of Word behaves differently.
Check what the document currently reveals. On the Review tab, make sure the tracked edits are visible. Select All Markup from the Display for Review menu if available, then look at several insertions, deletions, and formatting changes. Word commonly shows the reviewer name or initials in balloons or when you select a change. Also look for comments, since their author names can be separate from the names on tracked changes. This is your baseline for comparison.
Turn on removal of personal information when saving. In Word for Windows, choose File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings. Open Privacy Options and look under Document-specific settings for Remove personal information from file properties on save. Select the checkbox if it is present, then choose OK to close the Trust Center Settings window and OK again to close Word Options. The wording and availability can differ between builds. If you do not see the setting, do not assume that removing the author property will anonymize revision authors; use the troubleshooting guidance below.
Save the copy, close it, and reopen it. Press Ctrl+S, close the document, and reopen the saved copy. Saving is important because the privacy setting applies when Word saves the file. If Word displays a prompt about saving changes, choose Save. Do not use the original as the test file: your goal is to verify the distributable copy without risking the source.
Inspect several revisions again. With the reopened copy, display All Markup and examine edits from different parts of the document. Check both a deletion and an insertion, and select changes if the author is not visible in the markup view. The names should be replaced or suppressed according to your Word build’s behavior. Do not infer success just because the document’s Author property is blank; that property is not the same as the author information attached to tracked changes.
Check document properties and other hidden information. Choose File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document. In Document Inspector, review the categories it reports. Document Properties and Personal Information concerns file properties such as author details. Use Remove All for that category if you want those properties cleared, then inspect the file again. Read each category before removing anything: categories for comments, revisions, versions, or annotations may remove review content rather than merely hide the author names.
Decide what to do with comments. If comments must remain, check them individually after saving to make sure they do not display identifying names or reveal identity in their text. If you do not need comments, delete them using Review > Delete, or use the appropriate comments option in Document Inspector after confirming what it removes. Anonymizing a name does not make a comment’s wording anonymous if it says, for example, I spoke to Jordan about this.
Make one final visual and file check. Save, close, and reopen the copy once more. Confirm that tracked edits still appear, identifying names are not shown, and the document opens as expected. If you will share a PDF instead, export a fresh PDF from the cleaned copy and inspect the PDF too; exporting does not automatically guarantee that every comment, annotation, or identifying detail has been removed.
Share only the verified copy. Attach or upload the cleaned file, not the original. Keep the source and the cleaned deliverable clearly separated, especially when both have similar file names. If you cannot confirm that the revision identities have been removed, do not describe the file as de-identified; use a method that removes the review history or ask your organization’s document administrator for an approved process.

Mac note: Word for Mac has different menus and does not expose the same Trust Center path in every release. Check Word > Settings or Preferences for a Security or privacy option that removes personal information when saving, if your version provides one. Save a copy and verify the result in the desktop app. If the option is unavailable, do not rely on File > Properties alone to anonymize tracked changes. Word for the web also lacks some desktop privacy and inspection controls, so use the desktop app for this cleanup.

Common Mistakes

Removing only the file’s author property. The Author field in document properties and the author attached to each revision are different things. Clearing one does not prove the other has been cleared. Check actual markup after reopening the document.
Accepting all changes when you meant to hide names. Review > Accept > Accept All Changes makes the edits permanent in the text and removes the visible revision history. It is a valid choice when you no longer need the markup, but it is not an anonymization method that preserves tracked edits.
Using Document Inspector without reading its categories. Remove All can have different effects depending on the category. Removing comments or revisions can delete material you intended to retain. Work on a copy and review the description beside each category before choosing an action.
Forgetting comments and replies. A document can have anonymous-looking revisions but still show a commenter’s name or a revealing comment. Check comment threads, replies, and the text of each comment separately.
Assuming the setting changes existing files immediately. The privacy option is applied as Word saves. Set it, save the working copy, then close and reopen that copy before checking. A document that was open before the setting changed may need to be saved again.
Sending a preview or older attachment. A previously created PDF, email attachment, or cloud copy may still contain the original names. Create the shareable output from the verified file and replace older attachments rather than assuming they update automatically.

Tips

Choose the right outcome first. If reviewers need to see what changed but not who made each edit, preserve tracked changes and verify anonymization. If nobody needs the review history, accept or reject the changes deliberately, then check the final text. Those are different deliverables.
Use a neutral filename and document text. A file name, title page, header, comment, or note can identify the author even when revision labels do not. Search the document for names, email addresses, initials, and organization-specific references where appropriate.
Ask another person to check the result when risk is high. The person who created a document may overlook identifying details that seem obvious to a recipient. A second reviewer can inspect revisions, comments, properties, headers, and the exported version.
Keep a record of the cleanup. For a routine team handoff, note which copy was prepared and whether review history was retained. For confidential or regulated material, follow your organization’s approved data-handling procedure rather than relying on a general Word setting as a guarantee.
Remember that de-identification is not the same as confidentiality. Removing names from markup does not remove sensitive facts in the document. Review the content itself and share it only with people authorized to receive it.

Troubleshooting

The privacy checkbox is missing. Word releases, organization policies, and platform differences can affect which privacy controls appear. Confirm that you are in the desktop Word app for Windows and have opened File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Privacy Options. If the setting is not there, update Word if permitted or ask your Microsoft 365 administrator whether policy controls the option. Do not substitute a blank Author field as proof that revision names were removed.

Names still appear after saving. Check that you enabled the setting before saving the copy, saved it, and reopened the same file. Confirm that you are not looking at the original or a cached preview. If names remain, stop before sharing. Try the available privacy option on a fresh copy and verify again. If your Word build does not anonymize existing revision labels, the dependable fallback is to remove the review history by accepting or rejecting changes, or to use an organization-approved tool or process that specifically anonymizes revision authors.

The changes disappeared. You may have accepted or rejected them, or removed the revisions category in Document Inspector. Close without saving if the destructive action has not been saved, then reopen the untouched original and make another copy. If the original was overwritten, use your organization’s version history, backup, or recovery process. Do not expect Ctrl+Z to restore changes after closing and reopening.

Comments still show names. Recheck the comments after reopening and inspect replies as well as top-level comments. The personal-information setting may behave differently across Word builds, and comments can be retained as content. If comment authors remain identifiable, remove comments you do not need or use an approved workflow to anonymize them; then inspect the saved copy again.

Word for the web or Mac does not show the Windows path. The Windows Trust Center instructions do not map directly to every platform. Open the copy in Word for Windows if available. On Mac, check the current Word settings for a personal-information option and verify the result rather than assuming parity. If neither platform offers a suitable control, use the fallback of removing review history or consult your organization’s support team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hide my name but keep tracked changes visible?
Often, Word for Windows provides a privacy option to remove personal information when saving while retaining markup. Availability and behavior can vary, so check the saved, reopened copy and inspect multiple revisions before sharing.

Will changing my user name in Word rename old revisions?
No. Changing the user name used for future edits does not reliably change the author information already attached to existing revisions. Use a privacy workflow for the existing document and verify its result.

Does Document Inspector anonymize tracked changes?
Do not assume that it does. Its Document Properties and Personal Information category handles file properties, while categories for comments and revisions can remove review content. Read the category details and verify revision labels separately.

Can I remove the names and keep the edits, comments, and replies?
That depends on the Word build and the kind of review content. Test the Windows save-time privacy setting on a copy, then inspect edits, comment authors, and replies. If it does not remove the identities you need removed, Word’s available controls may require you to delete some review content or use an approved alternative.

Does accepting all changes anonymize the document?
It removes the visible revision history by applying changes to the document text; it does not preserve a reviewable, anonymized history. You may still need to remove comments and personal information from document properties.

Is the file safe to share once the names disappear?
Not necessarily. Names may remain in comments, properties, file names, headers, or the text itself, and a separate PDF or older copy may still contain them. Inspect the exact file you plan to send and follow your organization’s confidentiality rules.

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