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How to Change Your Name for Track Changes in Word for Mac

By Erin Wright

Desktop computer with text overlay "How to Change Your Name for Track Changes in Word for Mac"This tutorial shows how to change your name for Track Changes and comments in Word for Mac. If you’re on a PC, please see my previous tutorial “How to Change Your User Name for Track Changes in Microsoft Word.”

This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 100 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac. These steps may not apply to older versions of Word for Mac.

How to Change Your Name for Track Changes in Word for Mac

Important Note: Change Your Name before Using Track Changes

These steps must be completed before using Track Changes because this process doesn’t change the name connected to existing edits or comments.

In fact, Microsoft Word doesn’t currently offer a built-in way to change names connected to existing edits or comments.

However, you can replace existing names with the default label Author, as shown in “How to Remove Names from Existing Track Changes in Word for Mac.”

  1. Select the Word menu.
Word menu in Word for Mac
Figure 1. Word menu
  1. Select Preferences from the drop-down menu.
Preferences option in the Word menu in Word for Mac
Figure 2. Preferences option
  1. Select User Information in the Word Preferences dialog box.
User Information in the Word Preferences dialog box in Word for Mac
Figure 3. User Information
  1. Type your new name and initials into the Name and Initials text boxes.
Name and Initials text boxes in the User Information dialog box in Word for Mac
Figure 4. Name and Initials text boxes
  1. Select the Always use this name regardless of how I’m signed in to Office option.
"Always use this name" option in the User Information dialog box in Word for Macac
Figure 5. Always use this name regardless of how I’m signed in to Office option
  1. Select the Close button.
Close button in the User Information dialog box in Word for Mac
Figure 6. Close button

Your updated name should now appear when you add new comments and edits.

Important Note: This name change will remain in effect for all future comments and edits in your current document and all other documents. If you want to resume using your original name or change to another name, repeat the steps above.

Related Resources

How to Create a Custom Heading Style in Microsoft Word for Mac

How to Adjust the Space between Words in Word for Mac

How to Cut, Copy, and Paste in Word for Mac

Updated December 18, 2021

Filed Under: Microsoft Word Tagged With: Track Changes, Word 365, Word for Mac

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Technical Writer and Editor Erin Wright

Hello! My name is Erin. I am a technical writer and editor who shares writing-related software tutorials on this website and on YouTube.

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