Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

How to Remove Names from Existing Track Changes in Word for Mac

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We recently looked at how to change your name for new Track Changes and comments in Word for Mac. Today, we will look at how to remove all names from existing Track Changes and comments in Word for Mac. The names will be replaced with the default label Author, as shown in figure 1.

We will also look at how to stop Word for Mac from calling you Author in future Track Changes and comments.

Comments before and after removing the user's name in Word for Mac 365
Figure 1. Comments before and after removing the user’s name

Quick Links:

Are you on a PC? Please see “How to Remove User Names from Existing Track Changes in Microsoft Word.”

Can I Change My Name for Existing Track Changes to Something Other Than “Author”?

Neither the PC nor the Mac version of Microsoft Word offers a built-in way to change names connected to existing comments and edits to anything other than Author. While this solution isn’t ideal, it is useful when anonymity is important, such as for beta reading and blind peer reviews.

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 also apply to older versions of the software back to Word for Mac 2016.

How to Remove Names from Existing Track Changes in Word for Mac

Caution: This process is not reversible and applies to all users associated with the document, even those who haven’t used Track Changes. It also permanently removes authorship and “Last Modified By” data. Therefore, you should complete this process on a secondary copy of your document rather than on the original.
  1. Open a secondary copy of your original document saved under a different file name. (Please see the Caution statement above.)
  2. Select the Review tab in the ribbon.
Review tab in Word for Mac 365
Figure 2. Review tab
  1. Select the Protect Document button.
Protect Document button in the Review tab in Word for Mac 365
Figure 3. Protect Document button

Pro Tip: If you don’t have the Protect Document button in your Review tab, select the Tools menu followed by Protect Document from the drop-down menu.

Protect Document option in the Tools menu in Word for Mac 365
Figure 4. Protect Document option
  1. Select Remove personal information from this file on save in the Password Protect dialog box.
"Remove personal information from this file on save" option in the Password Protect dialog box in Word for Mac 365
Figure 5. Remove personal information from this file on save option
  1. Select the OK button.
OK button in the Password Protect dialog box in Word for Mac 365
Figure 6. OK button
  1. Save, close, and reopen your document.

All the names connected to Track Changes and comments should now appear as Author, as shown in figure 1.

How to Stop Word for Mac from Calling You Author

You can stop Word for Mac from calling you Author for future Track Changes and comments. However, you cannot change the Author label connected to existing tracking and comments.

Are you on a PC? Please see “How to Stop Microsoft Word from Calling You ‘Author’ in Microsoft Word.”
  1. Select the Review tab in the ribbon (see figure 2).
  2. Select the Protect Document button (see figure 3).
  3. Deselect (uncheck) Remove personal information from this file on save in the Password Protect dialog box (see figure 5).
  4. Select the OK button (see figure 6).

Your new Track Changes and comments should now appear with the name shown in the User Information section of the Preferences dialog box (Word > Preferences > User Information).

Related Resources

How to Adjust the Space between Words in Word for Mac

How to Create a Custom Heading Style in Word for Mac