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How to Edit Document Properties (Author, Title) in Word

Tap a step to see how to edit document properties in Word.

  1. Click "Info" under the "File" tab

    Click the "File" tab at the top of Word, then select "Info" from the left-hand menu.

  2. Check the "Properties" panel on the right

    The right side of the screen shows a list of document properties like title, tags, and author.

  3. Click the title or author field to edit it

    Clicking any field lets you type in or change the text right away.

  4. Use "Show All Properties" to edit deeper details

    To edit more fields, click "Show All Properties" to see and change details like the total editing time or company name.

  5. Why it helps

    If a previous author's name or company details are still sitting in a document, sharing it outside your organization can expose information you did not mean to share β€” cleaning up properties helps with document management and privacy.

If a previous author's name is still sitting in the file

Building a new document from a copied company template can leave the earlier author's name or company information behind in the properties. Cleaning that up before sharing the file externally prevents unwanted information from leaking out.

Metadata can hide in more places than just properties

The document properties panel is not the only place personal details can linger β€” tracked changes, comments, and revision history can also reveal names and edit timestamps that a quick glance at properties will not show. It is worth checking those too before sending a document outside your team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see document properties without opening the file?

Yes. Right-click the file in File Explorer (or Finder on Mac), open "Properties β†’ Details," and you can see the title, author, and other details without launching Word at all.

Can I remove all personal information from a document at once?

Yes. Running "File β†’ Info β†’ Check for Issues β†’ Inspect Document" scans the file for personal information and hidden data and lets you remove it all in a single step.