# How do you ensure someone cannot decode if you have edits in MS Word for Mac doc

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-ensure-someone-cannot-decode-if-you-have-edits-in-ms-word-for-mac-doc/702270>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 23, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-ensure-someone-cannot-decode-if-you-have-edits-in-ms-word-for-mac-doc/702270 "2014-10-23T18:28:53Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![BEmama](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b3f665/32.png) [@BEmama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BEmama)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2014, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-ensure-someone-cannot-decode-if-you-have-edits-in-ms-word-for-mac-doc/702270/1 "2014-10-23T18:28:53Z")

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I want to ensure that no one can tell that there were edits in a document. How do I restore to pristine condition? Am doing on a Mac. Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-ensure-someone-cannot-decode-if-you-have-edits-in-ms-word-for-mac-doc/702270/2 "2014-10-23T18:43:21Z")

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> [@BEmama](#):
>
> I want to ensure that no one can tell that there were edits in a document. How do I restore to pristine condition? Am doing on a Mac. Thanks.

FILE, OPTIONS, PREPARE FOR SHARING, INSPECT DOCUMENT. then “Remove All” (f there’s anything to be removed).

At least that’s how I’d do it on a PC. There are add-in programs that do an even better job.

Or, last resort, copy everything in the document, paste it into a brand-new document as text only, and reformat.

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**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [October 23, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-ensure-someone-cannot-decode-if-you-have-edits-in-ms-word-for-mac-doc/702270/3 "2014-10-23T20:15:19Z")

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To be absolutely sure, copy it out to Notepad, then paste it to a new document.

Even if you obliterate past edits, the document properties will still show the original creation date, author, laste date printed, etc. which may or may not be to your disadvantage.

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**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\
**Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-you-ensure-someone-cannot-decode-if-you-have-edits-in-ms-word-for-mac-doc/702270/4 "2014-10-24T00:22:36Z")

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OP must have recently read this Cracked article: [5 Clues Hidden in Computer Files That Can Get You Busted](http://www.cracked.com/article_20058_5-clues-hidden-in-computer-files-that-can-get-you-busted.html), which gives several clear examples (involving MS Word, Photoshop, and PDF files) why you really really need to know how to do this.