DOCX metadata: what a Word document can reveal
A Word DOCX file can store the author, last editor, company, manager, template, total editing time, dates, custom properties, comments with their authors and tracked changes, and DropMeta empties the core and app properties, deletes custom properties and comment parts, accepts tracked changes and strips embedded JPEG, PNG and WebP images in your browser.
Common DOCX metadata fields
| Field | What it reveals | Privacy risk | Removed by DropMeta? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author (dc:creator, core.xml) | Name of the person who created the document | High | Yes — core.xml is replaced with an empty properties part |
| Last modified by (cp:lastModifiedBy) | Name of the last person who saved it | High | Yes — core.xml emptied |
| Created, modified and last printed dates (core.xml) | Timeline of the document | Medium | Yes — core.xml emptied |
| Title, subject, keywords, description, category (core.xml) | Internal labels and notes | Medium | Yes — core.xml emptied |
| Revision number (cp:revision) | How many times the file was saved | Low | Yes — core.xml emptied |
| Company and Manager (app.xml) | Employer or organization name | High | Yes — app.xml is replaced with an empty properties part |
| Application, version, template, total editing time (app.xml) | Software used and how long the document was edited | Medium | Yes — app.xml emptied |
| Custom properties (custom.xml) | Organization-specific fields such as client or matter IDs | High | Yes — the part and its relationship are deleted |
| Comments and comment authors (comments*.xml, people.xml) | Review notes, reviewer names | High | Yes — comment parts, relationships and in-text comment markers are removed |
| Tracked changes (w:ins, w:del) | Deleted text and who changed what | High | Yes in the main document body — insertions are kept, deletions removed; the track-revisions setting is removed |
| Embedded JPEG, PNG and WebP images | Photo EXIF/GPS inside the document | High | Yes — each image is stripped with the image engine |
| Embedded TIFF, GIF, BMP, HEIC, EMF, WMF, SVG | Image-level metadata | Medium | No — skipped with a warning |
| Revision session IDs (rsid attributes) | Can correlate editing sessions across documents | Low | Not targeted |
| Tracked changes in headers, footers or footnotes | Edit history outside the main body | Medium | Not accepted — only the main document body is processed |
How to remove DOCX metadata
Use the Office tool: it cleans DOCX (and XLSX/PPTX) packages in this browser tab. Legacy .doc files are not supported — Save As .docx first.
- Open Remove Word, Excel & PowerPoint metadata and drop or choose a .docx file.
- Run strip. Properties, custom properties, comments and tracked changes are cleaned locally, and embedded JPEG/PNG/WebP images are stripped.
- Download the cleaned file and read any warnings about skipped embedded images.
FAQ and limits
How do I remove the author name from a Word document?
Drop the .docx on the Office tool and run strip. The author, last-modified-by and company fields are emptied in your browser before download.
Are tracked changes accepted or rejected?
Accepted in the main document body: inserted text is kept and deleted text is removed. Tracked changes in headers, footers or footnotes are not processed.
Does DropMeta support old .doc files?
No. Legacy .doc, .xls and .ppt are not supported. Save As .docx, .xlsx or .pptx first.
Is my document uploaded?
No. The DOCX is unzipped, cleaned and re-zipped in your browser tab. No account, no upload.