How to Remove Metadata from Word Document?
Sharing Word files over the Internet without clearing the metadata first can invade your privacy and security. Explore this article to find the two easiest ways to remove metadata from Word document with 100% accurate results.
When your privacy is a top priority and you want to keep your personal information out of the hands of fraudsters, it becomes vital to wipe metadata from Word document. Information like the identity of the author, the owner of the copyright, the public license, or the contents of statistics data can all be provided through metadata. Such information might be helpful to online scammers to invade your security and privacy, thus deleting it is essential.
Manual Steps to Remove Hidden Data from Word File
- Open your Word document first on your Windows machine.
- Click on the “File” tab and from the drop down menu select “Info“.
- Now, select the option viz; “Check for issue” and then select “Inspect document“.
- Then, in the document inspector box, check some data for an example of “Document properties and personal information“
- In the inspection results, click “Delete All” to clear the found data.
This is how you can manually wipe metadata in a Word document. This method is suitable for most professionals who only have a few files. However, if you have an unlimited number of files, this solution may not be for you, as it may expose you to some complications.
Limitations in the Manual Method
- Using Windows Explorer, you can clean metadata from one Word file at a time.
- The method does not offer you any option to process files in batch.
- This process is time consuming and cumbersome since you need to do each task manually.
Are you the person who has a large data set and wants to get the job done effortlessly and in just a few minutes? The following method may be suitable for you.
Easy Way to Remove Metadata from Word Document
The excellent and extremely advanced software to remove hidden metadata from Word file is PCDOTS Metadata Erasure Software. The software has the ability to simplify even the most challenging metadata erasure task. The software is entirely secure and aims to keep all other data intact while wiping only the metadata.
Unlike the previous method, this solution is time-saving, easy and allows you to delete metadata from multiple Word documents at the same time. If you have multiple files and want to automatically remove metadata from them at once, download and try this tool.
Why Word Metadata Remover over Manual Method?
- It offers the simplest user interface so that users at all levels can use it without issue.
- Provides dual modes for data selection. Select files/select folders
- This software allows you to remove metadata from a Word document in bulk
- It allows you to browse and choose the location to save the final file without metadata.
- It is 100% safe and keeps the contents of your Word file safe while removing metadata
- It can also delete metadata from DOT files, ODT files, RTF files, and other types of files.
In Conclusion
We have provided you with the best tool to remove metadata from Word document. The PCDOTS MetaRaser application is sophisticated yet simple to use software. Its powers extend beyond cleaning metadata from a Word document to a wide range of file types. You may also use the software to delete metadata from PDF files, TIFF files, video files, and other types of files. You can get the software from the link above and start with the free version.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question) How do i clean metadata from Word 2010 ?
- Click the File Tab in Word 2010 and click on Info option
- Then Check for Issues and opt Inspect Document.
- To view the Personal Information hit on Show All Properties.
- Select content you need Word to check for metadata.
- When Word finds metadata, it will enable you to Remove All.
Question) Why should I clean metadata from Word document ?
When you create a Word file, a metadata attached to it. This metadata can be about your location, your device information, and more. If you share Word files online before removing the metadata, you may risk losing it to a scammer.
Question) Does removing metadata affect content quality?
No, removing metadata does not affect the quality of content in Word files. It is a safe and secure process.
Question) Can I remove hidden data in a Word file on Mac?
Yes. Follow the following steps
- Open a Word file on Mac and go to Tools and Protect Document
- Now from the bottom, in the Privacy section, select “Remove personal information from this file on Save”
- Then click OK
