# Word Comment Author

> Set, verify, or fully restore Microsoft Word's local author name for comments and tracked changes, especially when the signed-in Microsoft 365 account display name differs from the desired comment name. Use when the user wants Word comments, revisions, or document author metadata to show a chosen name such as "Guo Ning", asks to revert back to the Office account name, or wants old local custom-name residue removed.

- Skill: `anklecrusher/word-comment-author` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add anklecrusher/word-comment-author`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/anklecrusher/word-comment-author/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Docs & Writing
- Author: anklecrusher (https://skillmd.com/u/anklecrusher)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/anklecrusher/word-comment-author

---


# Word Comment Author

Use this skill to make Word comments and tracked changes use a local author name, independent of the Microsoft 365 account name shown in the top-right account badge.

## Core Behavior

- Set Word `Application.UserName` to the requested display name.
- Set Word `Application.UserInitials` to the requested initials.
- Set `Application.Options.UseLocalUserInfo = True`, which corresponds to Word's "Always use these values regardless of sign in to Office" option.
- Mirror the values into the common Office and Word registry locations for durability.
- Ignore the Office account badge if it still shows a server-synced account name; the badge and comment author are separate surfaces.

## Default Values

If the user does not specify values, use:

- Name: `Guo Ning`
- Initials: `GN`

## Run

Prefer the bundled script because PowerShell COM automation can fail under constrained language mode.

```powershell
cscript //nologo "C:\Users\ankle crusher\.codex\skills\word-comment-author\scripts\set-word-comment-author.vbs" "Guo Ning" "GN"
```

Then verify:

```powershell
cscript //nologo "C:\Users\ankle crusher\.codex\skills\word-comment-author\scripts\set-word-comment-author.vbs" --check
```

If Word is already open, the script attaches to the current Word instance and does not close the user's documents. If Word is closed, the script opens Word invisibly, writes the setting, then quits.

## Revert

Choose the rollback path based on the user's intent.

1. Revert to another fixed local author, keeping local author forcing enabled:

```powershell
cscript //nologo "C:\Users\ankle crusher\.codex\skills\word-comment-author\scripts\set-word-comment-author.vbs" "Old Name" "ON"
```

2. Stop forcing local Word author info only:

```powershell
cscript //nologo "C:\Users\ankle crusher\.codex\skills\word-comment-author\scripts\set-word-comment-author.vbs" --follow-signin
```

This only sets `UseLocalUserInfo=False`. It does not remove a previous custom name from local `UserName` fields.

3. Fully restore to the signed-in account name and remove custom-name residue:

```powershell
cscript //nologo "C:\Users\ankle crusher\.codex\skills\word-comment-author\scripts\set-word-comment-author.vbs" --restore-account "Account Display Name" "Initials"
```

Use this path when the user says they no longer want the custom name stored anywhere in local Word/Office author settings. It writes the account display name back into Word and common Office `UserInfo`, turns `UseLocalUserInfo` off, and removes the policy-level `uselocal` override if present.

After rollback, verify with `--check` and search for the old custom name in Office registry keys:

```powershell
reg query "HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office" /f "Old Name" /s
```

## Notes

- This affects newly created comments and revisions. Existing comments in an already-saved document may keep their old embedded author name.
- To change old comments already present in a document, use a separate DOCX metadata/comment-editing workflow.
- The Microsoft 365 account badge may still show a server-side name after login; do not keep editing `Identity\Identities` if the goal is only comment authorship.
- For privacy-sensitive rollback, do not stop at `--follow-signin`; use `--restore-account` with the real account display name and initials.