To change the name that appears on your comments in Word, select File > Options > General, type the name you want in User name and your initials in Initials, and tick Always use these values regardless of sign in to Office. Select OK. New comments and tracked changes use the new name. Comments you’ve already made keep the old name, but you can make them anonymous before you share the file.
Applies to: Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, 2021, 2019 and 2016 on Windows and Mac. Word for the web always uses your account name. Last reviewed October 7, 2026.
Change the name on Windows
- Open Word and select File > Options.
- On the General page, find Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office.
- Type your name in User name and your initials in Initials.
- Tick Always use these values regardless of sign in to Office.
- Select OK.
The tick box matters. Without it, Word uses the name from the Microsoft account you’re signed in with, and ignores the name you typed.
The setting applies to Excel and PowerPoint too, because they share it with Word.
Change the name on a Mac
- Select Word > Settings (or Preferences in older versions).
- Select User Information.
- Change First name, Last name and Initials.
- Close the window.
If your Mac still shows your account name, sign out of Word under Word > Sign Out, or check whether your organization sets the name.
What about comments you’ve already made?
Each comment stores the author’s name when it’s created, so changing the setting doesn’t rename old comments. Your options:
- Recreate the comment: copy its text, delete it and add it again with the new name. Practical for a few comments.
- Make all names anonymous: use the Document Inspector, below. Every comment and tracked change then shows Author.
Make comments anonymous
- Save a copy of the document first.
- Select File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document.
- Tick Document Properties and Personal Information. Clear Comments, Revisions, and Versions so the comments themselves stay.
- Select Inspect, then Remove All next to Document Properties and Personal Information.
- Select Close and save the document.
Every existing comment now shows Author, and Word keeps removing personal information each time you save this file. To turn that off later, select File > Options > Trust Center > Trust Center Settings > Privacy Options and clear Remove personal information from file properties on save.
The author shown in File > Info is separate. Under Related People, right-click the author’s name and select Edit Property to change it, or Remove Person to remove it.
Troubleshooting
Comments still show my account name
Tick Always use these values regardless of sign in to Office, then close and reopen Word. In co-authored documents saved in OneDrive or SharePoint, Word may still show your account name to others, because it identifies people by account.
Comments show “Author” and I want names back
The document is set to remove personal information. Clear the privacy option above. Comments that were already anonymized can’t get their names back.
The initials in the comment are wrong
Change Initials in the same Options page. Like the name, this only affects new comments.
Frequently asked questions
Does this change the name on tracked changes too?
Yes. Tracked changes use the same User name, so new edits show the new name. Changes made earlier keep the name they were made under.
Can I use a team or company name instead of my own?
Yes. Type any name in User name, such as “Legal team” or “Editor”. This is useful when several people review a document from a shared PC, but remember to change it back afterwards so your own documents show your name.
Why do my @mentions and replies still show my real name?
Modern comments in Microsoft 365 link to your account so people can be notified and see who replied. In files saved to OneDrive or SharePoint, others may see your account name regardless of the User name setting.
Will the new name appear on other people’s computers?
Yes. The name is saved with each comment in the file, so everyone who opens it sees it, whatever their own settings are.
Do I need to change it in each document?
No. The setting applies to every document you work on in Word on that computer. On another PC, set it again.
Related guides
- How to use Track Changes in Word
- How to copy comments from one Word document to another
- How to print a Word document without comments
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.