Removing Hidden Data from Office Documents

When you distribute an Office document electronically, the document might contain information that you do not want to share publicly, such as information you’ve designated as “hidden” or information that allows you to collaborate on writing and editing the document with others.

The Remove Hidden Data add-in is a tool that you can use to remove personal or hidden data that might not be immediately apparent when you view the document in your Microsoft Office application.

Download and install the Microsoft Office 2003 Hidden Data add-in tool

After installing the tool, you can use it to scrub hidden data from office documents by selecting the "Remove Hidden Data" option from the File Menu inside your Office application, e.g., Word, Excel, etc.

• You must save your document first before using the "Remove Hidden Data" option
• When you use the tool, you will be prompted for a new filename and location for the scrubbed document.  Your original document file will NOT be affected.  If you are sending the file electronically, make sure you send the SCRUBBED version and not the original.