The author field in Word is metadata, not part of the document text
When you create a Word document, the program automatically records your computer username as the author. This information lives in the document's properties — the hidden data that tracks who made it, when, and what changes were made — not in the visible text itself. If you want to change who appears as the author, you are changing that metadata, which takes a few steps depending on whether you want to change it for one document or all future documents.
The author name shows up in places like the File menu, document properties, and when someone right-clicks the file to view details. It also appears in the revision history if you have Track Changes turned on. Changing it does not erase the actual edit history — it only changes the name attached to the document going forward.
Key Takeaways
- The author field is metadata stored in document properties, separate from the text you see on the page.
- You can change the author for a single document through File > Info > Properties, or by editing the document properties directly.
- To change the author for all new documents you create, change your username in Word's Options menu under Account or User Information.
- Changing the author name does not remove the actual editing history if Track Changes is enabled — it only changes the name attached to future edits.
- Some organizations use document protection or policies that prevent author changes, so you may not have permission to alter this field.
How to change the author for one document
Open the document you want to change. Go to File in the top menu, then click Info. On the right side of the screen, you will see a section labeled Properties with fields like Title, Subject, and Author. Click directly on the Author field and type the new name you want to use.
If you do not see the Author field in the Properties panel, look for a link that says Show All Properties or Show Document Panel — click that to expand the full list. Type the new author name and then click outside the field or press Enter to save the change. The document now shows the new author name in its properties.
An alternative route: go to File > Info, then look for Properties and click the dropdown arrow next to it. Select Advanced Properties. A window opens with tabs at the top — click the Summary tab, find the Author field, clear the old name, type the new one, and click OK.
How to change the author for all future documents
If you want every new document you create to show a different author name, change your username in Word itself rather than editing each document. Go to File > Options (on Windows) or Word > Preferences (on Mac). Look for a section called User Information or Account depending on your Word version.
In that section, find the field labeled User Name or Author Name and type the name you want to appear on all future documents. Click OK or Save to explore the change. From that point forward, any new document you create will use the name you entered. This does not change the author on documents you already created — only on new ones going forward.
Why the author field matters and when it does not
The author field is useful when multiple people work on documents and you need to know who created the original file. It also appears in search results if you are looking through your computer for a file you remember creating. Some organizations use the author field for document management and tracking purposes.
However, the author field is not a security feature. Changing it does not hide who actually edited the document — that information is stored in the revision history and in the file's creation date. If someone needs to know the true history of a document, they can check Track Changes or look at the file's properties in Windows Explorer or Finder, which show the original creation date and the account that created it.
What happens when you share a document with a new author name
When you send a document to someone else, the author name you set travels with it. If you changed the author to a colleague's name before sending it, that colleague's name will appear in the properties when they open it. This can be useful if you are preparing a document on behalf of someone else and want their name to appear as the creator.
Be aware that if Track Changes is turned on, the revision history will still show the actual usernames of everyone who edited the document, regardless of what the Author field says. So if you want to obscure who made changes, changing the author name alone will not do that — you would need to accept all changes and turn off Track Changes before sharing.
Removing author information before sharing
If you want to remove all author and personal information before sharing a document, Word has a tool for that. Go to File > Info, then click Inspect Document (or Check for Issues depending on your version). Select Document Inspector. A window will scan the document and show you what personal information is stored in it — author name, creation date, comments, revision history, and more.
Click Remove All next to any category you want to clear. This will strip out the author name, comments, tracked changes, and other metadata. After you remove the information, save the document. Note that this is a one-way action — once you remove the revision history, you cannot undo it, so save a copy of the original if you might need it later.
When you cannot change the author field
Some organizations lock down document properties to prevent changes. If you try to edit the Author field and it will not let you, the document may be protected or your organization may have policies that restrict who can modify metadata. Check with your IT department or document administrator to see if there is a way to unlock the field or if you need special permission.
Documents stored on shared drives or in systems like SharePoint sometimes have restrictions on who can change the author. In those cases, you may need to read the document to your computer, make the change locally, and then re-upload it — or you may not have permission to change it at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does changing the author name hide who actually edited the document?
No. The author name is just a label in the document properties. The actual editing history, including who made changes and when, is stored separately in Track Changes and in the file's creation metadata. Changing the author name does not erase that history.
If I change my username in Word Options, does it change the author on documents I already created?
No. Changing your username in Word Options only affects new documents you create from that point forward. Documents you already made will keep their original author name unless you edit each one individually through File > Info > Properties.
Can I set the author to a blank field or remove it entirely?
You can leave the Author field blank by deleting the text and saving, though Word may repopulate it with your current username depending on your settings. To remove all author and personal information, use File > Info > Inspect Document > Document Inspector and click Remove All next to the metadata categories you want to clear.
What is the difference between the author name and the last person who edited the document?
The author is whoever is listed in the Author field of the document properties — usually the person who created it, but you can change it manually. The last editor is tracked separately and shows who most recently saved changes to the file. These are two different pieces of metadata.
Does the author name change if I save a copy of the document?
When you use Save As to create a copy, the new file keeps the same author name as the original unless you change it. If you want the copy to show a different author, you will need to edit the Author field in the new file's properties after saving.