Where Word Stores the Author Name

When you create a document in Microsoft Word, the program automatically records your name as the author in the file's metadata — the hidden information that travels with the document but does not appear in the text itself. This name comes from your Windows user account or your Microsoft account, depending on how you set up Word. If you share the document with someone else or open a file created by another person, you may need to change whose name appears as the author.

The author name shows up in several places: in the document properties (which you can view by right-clicking the file), in the "Recent Documents" list, and sometimes in the footer or header if you have inserted author fields. Changing it requires you to edit the document properties, not the document text itself.

Key Takeaways

  • The author name lives in the document's properties, not in the visible text, so you change it through the File menu, not by editing the document itself.
  • On Windows, go to File > Info > Properties > Advanced Properties and change the name in the Author field under the Summary tab.
  • On Mac, use File > Properties and type the new author name directly into the Author field.
  • If you have inserted an author field in the document text itself, you must update that separately by right-clicking the field and selecting Update Field.
  • Changing the author name does not remove the original author from the document's edit history if Track Changes is turned on.

Changing the Author on Windows

Open the document in Word and click the File tab at the top left. From the menu that appears, select Info. On the right side of the screen, you will see a section labeled Properties. Click the button that says "Properties" (it may show a dropdown arrow), then select "Advanced Properties" from the menu.

A dialog box will open with several tabs at the top. Click the Summary tab. In the Author field, delete the current name and type the new author name. You can also change the Subject, Title, and other fields here if needed. Click OK when you are finished. The change takes effect when ready, and the new author name will appear the next time someone views the document properties.

Changing the Author on Mac

Open the document and click File in the menu bar at the top. Select Properties from the dropdown menu. A panel will appear on the right side of your screen. Look for the Author field near the top and click on it. Delete the current name and type the new author name, then press Enter. The change saves automatically.

If you do not see the Author field, make sure you are in the Properties panel and not the document itself. On some versions of Word for Mac, you may need to click a small arrow or expand button to reveal all available fields.

Removing the Author Name Entirely

If you want the document to show no author at all, follow the same steps as above but leave the Author field blank instead of typing a new name. This removes the author attribution from the document properties. However, if you have inserted an author field in the document text itself (which displays the author name within the document), leaving the properties field blank will cause that field to display as empty or show an error.

Removing the author name does not delete other metadata like the creation date or last modified date. If you need to remove all identifying information from a document before sharing it, you may want to use Word's built-in "Inspect Document" feature, which can strip out comments, tracked changes, and other hidden content.

Updating Author Fields in the Document Text

If the document contains an author field — text that displays the author name within the document itself, often in a header, footer, or title page — changing the properties alone will not update that field. You must update the field separately. Find the author name text in the document, right-click on it, and select "Update Field" from the context menu. The field will refresh to show the new author name from the properties.

If you inserted the author field using Insert > Field > Author, it will pull from the document properties automatically once you update it. If the author name was typed as plain text rather than inserted as a field, you will need to edit it manually like any other text in the document.

What Changing the Author Does Not Do

Changing the author name in the document properties does not erase the original author's name from the document's revision history if you have Track Changes turned on. Anyone who opens the document and looks at the tracked changes will still see the original author's name attached to edits made under that account. If you need to hide the original author's identity completely, you must accept all changes and turn off Track Changes before sharing the document.

Similarly, if the document was created by one person and you change the author name to yours, the file's creation date and last modified date remain unchanged. These dates are separate from the author field and cannot be edited through the Properties dialog. The document will still show when it was originally created, even though a different name now appears as the author.

Why the Author Name Matters

The author field serves as a way to track who created or owns a document. In shared workspaces like OneDrive or SharePoint, Word uses the author information to show document ownership and control permissions. If you are taking over a document from someone else or preparing a template for others to use, updating the author name ensures that the metadata matches the person responsible for the current version.

In some organizations, the author name is used for compliance or auditing purposes. Before sharing a document outside your organization, check whether the author name and other properties contain information you do not want to disclose. Word's Document Inspector can show you all hidden metadata and remove it if necessary.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the author name without opening the document in Word?

On Windows, you can right-click the file in File Explorer, select Properties, then click the Details tab. Some author information may be editable there, though the Advanced Properties dialog in Word gives you more control. On Mac, you cannot change the author name without opening the document in Word.

If I change the author name, will the original author know?

The original author will not be notified. However, if they open the document and look at the properties or revision history, they will see that the author name has changed. If Track Changes is on, they will also see who made the change and when.

Does changing the author name affect who can edit the document?

No. The author field is metadata only and does not control permissions or access. If the document is shared through OneDrive or SharePoint, the person who originally uploaded it remains the owner regardless of what the author field says. You must change sharing settings separately if you want to change who can edit the document.

What if the author field is blank or shows "Unknown"?

This usually means the document was created on a device where no user name was set up, or the file was imported from another program. You can add an author name by following the steps above. The field will accept any text you type.

Can I set a default author name so all new documents use it automatically?

Yes. In Word, go to File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Personal Information and enter your name in the User Name field. All new documents created after this change will use that name as the author. This does not change the author name in documents that already exist.