Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Removing All File Properties.
Word allows you to maintain a fair number of properties associated with a document. These properties vary from document to document. Some of them are set automatically by Word, and others can be set manually by you.
Using a macro, you can clear all the boxes on the Summary tab of the Properties dialog box. The following macro tries to access all the built-in document properties, resetting them so that they contain nothing. If a non-writable document property is accessed (for example, the time the document was last printed), then an error is generated and the macro resumes on the very next property.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: 
Sub CleanProp()
Dim oProp As DocumentProperty
On Error Resume Next
For Each oProp In ActiveDocument.BuiltInDocumentProperties
oProp.Value = ""
Next oProp
End Sub
There are also commercial metadata cleaners available on the market. These clean not only the information stored in the document properties, but also other identifying data that you might not want distributed with a document. Examples of these types of programs are Metadata Assistant (Payne Consulting Group) and Workshare Protect (WorkShare). You can use your favorite search engine to search for information on these and other cleaners.
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (11737) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Removing All File Properties.
Do More in Less Time! Are you ready to harness the full power of Word 2013 to create professional documents? In this comprehensive guide you'll learn the skills and techniques for efficiently building the documents you need for your professional and your personal life. Check out Word 2013 In Depth today!
Need to convert a bunch of old DOC files to the newer DOCX format? Word doesn't provide the capability to convert a bunch ...
Discover MoreWhat are you to do if you try to open a document and Word automatically closes your previous document? Word is not ...
Discover MoreAfter merging the information from a data source into a document, you may decide that you only want to open the merge ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2012-05-21 03:41:07
Andrew Evans
I gald someone else has pointed out the free tool from Microsoft, I have used the 2003 tool a lot and it works well. i would have thought giving details of the free facilities that Microsoft provide for use would be the first port of call for a MVP rather than commercial - there may be some commercial tools that go further than the freebie's but if the freebie's work than that must be the way to go.
2012-05-19 06:22:44
Bruce Manford
You do not mention the built-in Word tool, the Document Inpsector, whihc is much more flexible than the macro here. See: http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/word-help/remove-hidden-data-and-personal-information-by-inspecting-documents-HA010354329.aspx for how to use it. This applies both to Word 2007 and Word 2010. For Word 2003 there is a separate (free) tool available from Microsoft that does much the same thng.
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2019 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments