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A Guide to Removing Personal Information From Word Documents

Get rid of hidden data you didn't know you were sharing

By James Marshall James Marshall Writer James Marshall is a pro journalist who covers technology and computer troubleshooting. He is also skilled with Microsoft Word, Apple Pages, and other word processors. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on January 13, 2020 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email MS Office Word Excel Powerpoint Outlook File sharing increases the risk that certain kinds of document metadata (stuff that's embedded in a file, often without your knowledge) could leak online, such as who worked on a document or who commented on a document. Word features a built-in tool to help you find and remove personal information and other hidden data. Information in this article applies to Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2019, Word 2016, and Word for Mac.

How to Remove Personal Information From a Word File

Microsoft Word includes a tool called Document Inspector that removes personal information from your document before you share it with others. When you print a document and want to avoid printing comments, go to File > Print, select Print All Pages, and clear the Print Markup check box. Open the Word document you want to remove any personal information from. Wait until the document is completed before you remove the personal information, particularly when collaborating with other users because names associated with comments and document versions change to “Author,” making it difficult to ascertain who made changes to the document. Select the File tab and choose Info. In the Inspect Document section, select Check for Issues. In the drop-down menu that opens, select Inspect Document. The Document Inspector window will open. Document Inspector only runs on a saved file. It prompts you to save your work-in-progress if you haven't manually saved a changed file. Select the Document Properties and Personal Information check box as well as any other items you want the tool to check for. Scroll down to see all the available options. If in doubt, select all the check boxes. Select Inspect. Wait while the Document Inspector checks the document. In the Document Properties and Personal Information section, select Remove All to remove the document and author properties associated with that file. Select Remove All next to other results if you wish to remove other information the Document Inspector discovers. Some changes cannot be undone, so make sure you want to remove them before proceeding. When you next save the document, this information is removed. Don't worry about Microsoft having access to personal information in the documents on your computer. Unless you were to send a document to Microsoft, they do not have access to any information from your documents. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Hyperlink in Word Documents How to Add and Remove a Border From a Word Document How to Use Microsoft Word How to Insert a PDF Into Word How to Add Line Numbers to a MS Word Document How to Insert Source Code Into a Word Document How to Insert a Document in Word How to Use Problem Steps Recorder in Windows How to Remove a Page Break in Word How to Compare Word Documents How to Make a Brochure in Microsoft Word How to Insert Comments in Word How to Control F on iPad How to Turn a PDF into a Word Document How to Insert a Page Break in Word How to Track Changes in Word Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies