Submission Security

How to Clean Track Changes, Comments & Hidden Metadata in Word Before Journal Submission

Updated September 2026•6 min read

It is an academic author's worst nightmare: you submit your manuscript for double-blind peer review, only for the journal editor to reject it because your supervisor's identity was visible in a hidden margin comment. Or worse, the journal compiles your submission PDF, and confidential co-author disputes or deleted text appear in bright red balloons for the reviewers to read (preventing this is a core part of avoiding unnecessary journal desk rejection).

Simply changing the Word display setting to “No Markup” does not delete your tracked changes or comments. The underlying OpenXML markup (<w:del>, <w:ins>, and <w:comment>) remains completely intact inside the .docx archive. This guide provides the fail-safe protocol to permanently sanitize your document without corrupting equations or citation managers.

Direct Answer: The 5-Step Sanitization Protocol

To completely sanitize a Word file before submission:

  1. Duplicate your file: Save a working backup named Manuscript_INTERNAL_DRAFT.docx before stripping history.
  2. Accept all changes: In the Review tab, click the arrow under Accept and choose Accept All Changes and Stop Tracking.
  3. Purge comments: In the Review tab, click the arrow under Delete and choose Delete All Comments in Document.
  4. Strip author metadata: Go to File → Info → Check for Issues → Inspect Document. Run the inspector and click Remove All next to Document Properties and Personal Information.
  5. Verify citation fields: Refresh your Zotero or EndNote bibliography to ensure field codes did not glitch.

The Dangerous Myth of “No Markup”

Many authors believe that if they select Review → Tracking → No Markup, their document is clean. This is false.

“No Markup” is purely a client-side viewing preference on your local computer. When you upload that file to ScholarOne, Editorial Manager, or an IEEE submission portal, the server often runs an automated PDF converter that resets the viewing mode to All Markup. The resulting PDF proof will proudly display every typo, every harsh co-author critique, and every deleted paragraph.

❌ “No Markup” (Unsafe)

XML Still Contains Hidden Data

  • Raw XML contains <w:del> deleted text
  • Reviewers can see author identity in comments
  • Document properties list institution and file path
  • Editorial PDF generator expands all bubbles

Disqualifies double-blind submissions immediately.

✓ Sanitized & Purged

Permanent OpenXML Scrubbing

  • All revisions baked permanently into text
  • Zero <w:comment> tags remain
  • Author metadata replaced with generic strings
  • Submission PDF compiles clean, single stream

Complies with blind review policies across all journals.

How to Strip Metadata on Windows and Mac

On Windows (Document Inspector)

  1. Open the document in Word and click the File menu.
  2. Select Info in the left sidebar.
  3. Click Check for Issues and select Inspect Document.
  4. Check the boxes for Comments, Revisions, and Versions as well as Document Properties and Personal Information.
  5. Click Inspect.
  6. Word will flag detected items. Click Remove All next to both categories.
  7. Save the file.

On macOS (Protect Document)

  1. In the top application menu bar, click Tools → Protect Document.
  2. Under the Privacy heading, check the box: Remove personal information from this file on save.
  3. Click OK and press Cmd + S to save.

Sanitizing for Double-Blind Peer Review (Self-Citations)

For journals operating under double-blind peer review (such as many ACM and IEEE journals; see our breakdown on IEEE review submission layouts), metadata stripping is only half the battle. You must also sanitize self-citations within the body text:

  • Replace: “In our previous study (Smith & Davis, 2023), we demonstrated...”
  • With: “In prior work (Smith & Davis, 2023), it was demonstrated...” or “In previous research [Anonymous, 2023], ...” depending on journal guidance.
  • Sanitize Acknowledgments: Remove specific laboratory names, university names, or unique grant identification numbers that directly identify the research team until final camera-ready acceptance.

Warning: Avoid Breaking Reference Manager Fields

Watch Out for Corrupted Citation Fields:

When tracked changes interact with Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote field codes (<w:fldSimple> or <w:instrText>), Word can sometimes retain broken XML fragments after accepting revisions (see our complete guide to recovering corrupted EndNote & Zotero Word documents). Always perform these two checks before uploading:

  1. Press Alt + F9 (or Option + F9 on Mac) to toggle field codes and verify that no raw curly braces remain unclosed.
  2. Click Refresh on your reference manager ribbon to verify that the bibliography rebuilds cleanly.

Automate Manuscript Sanitization & Formatting

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does selecting 'No Markup' remove track changes from my Word file?

No. Selecting 'No Markup' or 'Original' only changes what is visible on your monitor. All tracked deletions, additions, and internal comments remain embedded in the file and will reappear when journal editors or reviewers open the file or compile the submission PDF.

Can reviewers see who wrote comments in a Word document?

Yes. Microsoft Word tags every comment and tracked edit with the author's initials, name, and timestamp. If submitting for double-blind peer review, you must use Word's Document Inspector to anonymize or strip these identifiers.

Does 'Accept All Changes' break EndNote or Zotero citations?

If citations were inserted while Track Changes was actively recording, simply accepting all changes can sometimes leave corrupted XML markers. Always unformat citations or refresh your bibliography immediately after accepting all changes to verify integrity.

How do I remove my name from Word file properties on Mac?

On macOS Word, navigate to Tools > Protect Document > check 'Remove personal information from this file on save', and then save the document.