Where Word gets your comment name from

Word pulls your comment username from your Microsoft account profile, not from a setting inside Word itself. When you open a document and add a comment, Word displays whatever name you have set in your Microsoft account — usually your first and last name, or whatever you entered when you created the account. Changing it means updating your Microsoft profile, then refreshing Word so it picks up the new name.

This matters because everyone who reads the document will see your name on every comment you leave. If your Microsoft account still shows a nickname, old email address, or a name you no longer use, that is what appears in the comments. The change takes effect the next time you open or create a document in Word.

Key Takeaways

  • Word comments display the name from your Microsoft account profile, not a Word-specific setting.
  • You change your comment name by editing your Microsoft account profile at account.microsoft.com, not inside Word.
  • After you update your profile, close Word completely and reopen it for the new name to appear on future comments.
  • Old comments you already left will keep the name that was on your account when you wrote them.
  • If you use Word on multiple devices, the new name will show on all of them once you sign in with the updated account.

Steps to update your name in Microsoft account settings

Go to account.microsoft.com and sign in with the email and password you use for Word. Once you are logged in, look for "Your info" or "Account info" in the left menu — the exact label varies depending on whether you are on a computer or phone, but it is always near the top.

Click on "Your info" and you will see your current name displayed. Look for an "Edit name" button or link (sometimes it says "Edit" next to your name). Click it, and you will see fields for your first name and last name. Type in the name you want to appear on your Word comments, then click "Save" or "Next" to confirm the change.

Microsoft may ask you to verify your identity by sending a code to your email or phone. Check your email inbox or text messages, enter the code on the screen, and the change will be saved. This usually takes less than a minute.

Making Word use the new name

After you update your Microsoft account, Word does not when ready switch to the new name. You need to close Word completely — not just close the document, but exit the entire process. On Windows, look for Word in your taskbar at the bottom of the screen and close it from there. On Mac, use Command+Q to quit Word entirely.

Once Word is fully closed, open it again and create a new document or open an existing one. Add a test comment to see if the new name appears. If it still shows the old name, sign out of your Microsoft account within Word and sign back in: go to File > Account (or Word > Account on Mac), find "Sign out," then sign back in with your email address.

What happens to comments you already left

Comments you wrote before you changed your name will keep the old name attached to them. Word does not retroactively update the names on past comments — it only uses your current account name for new comments going forward. This is by design, because changing old comments would make it unclear who actually wrote them or when the name changed.

If you need to clarify which comments are yours in a shared document, you can edit the comment text itself (right-click the comment and select "Edit"), but the author name will remain unchanged. The person reading the document will see the old name as the author, even if you update your profile later.

If you use Word on multiple devices

Your Microsoft account profile is the same across all devices. Once you change your name in your account settings, any device where you are signed in with that account will use the new name in Word comments — as long as you close and reopen Word on each device.

If you use Word on a work computer, a personal laptop, and a phone, you do not need to change anything on each device separately. Just update your profile once at account.microsoft.com, then close and reopen Word on whichever device you are using. The new name will appear on all of them.

Changing your name back or trying a different one

You can change your Microsoft account name as many times as you want by going back to account.microsoft.com and repeating the same steps. There is no limit on how often you update it, and no waiting period between changes. If you want to test a different name before settling on one, you can change it, close and reopen Word, see how it looks, and change it again if you want.

Keep in mind that if you are collaborating with others on a document, changing your name mid-project can make it confusing to track who wrote which comments. It is usually clearer to pick a name and stick with it for the duration of a shared document.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have a different name in Word comments than my actual Microsoft account name?

No. Word comments always pull from your Microsoft account profile. You cannot set a separate username just for Word. If you want a different name in comments, you have to change your Microsoft account name itself, which affects your name everywhere you use that account.

Why does my old name still show in Word after I changed my Microsoft account?

Word caches your account information and does not check for updates automatically. Close Word completely (not just the document) and reopen it. If the old name still appears, sign out of your Microsoft account in Word and sign back in. Go to File > Account, click "Sign out," then sign in again with your email address.

Do other people see my name change on old comments I left?

No. Comments you wrote before the change keep the name that was on your account at that time. Only new comments you write after the change will show the updated name. The old comments are not retroactively updated.

What if I share a document with someone and then change my name?

The person reading the document will see your old name on comments you already left, and your new name on any comments you add after the change. This can make it look like two different people are commenting, so it is clearer to avoid changing your name in the middle of a collaboration if possible.