How to strip author, company, and edit time from a resume before you apply
- Step 1Finalise the resume text in Word first — This tool changes metadata, not the words on the page. Get the resume exactly how you want it — name, contact details, formatting — and save it as
.docx. Your visible content is never altered by the wipe, so finishing first means the cleaned copy is ready to send as-is. - Step 2Accept any track changes — If you tracked edits while tailoring the resume, the redlines live inside
word/document.xml(the body) and are NOT removed by this tool. Open Word and Review → Accept All Changes so a marked-up version with someone else's name attached to the edits does not reach the recruiter. - Step 3Drop the resume onto the wiper — The picker accepts
.docx,.xlsx, and.pptxonly. Drag your resume in. On the public browser path JSZip reads it with FileReader — your personal details never leave the machine. A legacy.docis rejected; Save As .docx first. - Step 4Let it strip and repack — There are no options — the schema is empty by design. The tool removes the fixed list of
docProps/*, the embedded thumbnail, and any comment streams, runs a wildcard sweep for numbered comment files, then repacks withgenerateAsync. - Step 5Read the removedEntries count — The result reports
removedEntries. A resume usually shows 2–3 (core + app, sometimes custom). If you started from a colleague's file you may see comment streams counted too. Zero means the file already had no targeted metadata. - Step 6Verify, then attach the -clean copy — Re-open the cleaned file and check File → Info → Properties — Author and Company should be blank. Attach that
-cleancopy to your application. Do not open-and-save it again first: Word re-writescore.xmlwith your current account name on the next save, re-introducing an author.
What a resume .docx leaks and what the wiper removes
The metadata streams in a typical resume container and the privacy problem each one creates for a job seeker.
| Stream removed | What it commonly holds | Why it matters when applying |
|---|---|---|
docProps/core.xml | Author, Last Modified By, Created / Modified dates | Often shows the template author, a friend, or your work account — not you |
docProps/app.xml | Company, Total Editing Time, application name | Company is frequently your current employer; edit time can reveal a rushed application |
docProps/custom.xml | Template-vendor tracking or licence properties | Ties the file to a paid template or an add-in you would rather not advertise |
docProps/thumbnail.jpeg / thumbnail.png | A rendered preview of page one | An older résumé layout can show in a file-explorer thumbnail |
word/comments.xml + people.xml | Reviewer names and feedback comments | If a friend reviewed the doc in Word, their name travels with it |
What stays the same
The wiper changes metadata only — your resume's visible content and function are untouched.
| Untouched | Why | Effect on your resume |
|---|---|---|
| Your name and contact details on the page | They are body text in word/document.xml, not metadata | Recruiters still see your name — that is the point |
| Formatting, fonts, layout | Styles and layout are document content, not property streams | The resume looks identical when opened |
| Track changes | Revision marks live inside the body, not a metadata stream | Accept them in Word first or they survive |
| A PDF version of the resume | PDFs are not OOXML ZIPs and are rejected | Use pdf-history-sanitizer on the PDF |
Plan, limits, and output
The tool requires the Pro plan; resume-sized files are tiny relative to the caps.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum plan | Pro | A Free run returns Office Doc Property Wiper requires the pro plan. |
| File-size limit (Pro) | 100 MB per file | A resume is typically well under 1 MB |
| Accepted input | .docx, .xlsx, .pptx | Legacy .doc is rejected; Save As .docx first |
| Output | Repacked file, original name + -clean | Plus a removedEntries count |
| Privacy | Browser-side; no upload | Your address and phone number never leave your machine |
Cookbook
Before/after structure from real resume containers. Names are anonymised; the entry paths are exactly what the tool acts on.
A resume built from a downloaded template
You downloaded a polished .docx template and typed over it. Your name is on the page, but the template author is still in core.xml and the vendor stamped a custom property. The wipe clears both without touching your text.
Before (unzip My-Resume.docx): docProps/core.xml <- Creator: TemplateStudio; Last Modified By: you docProps/app.xml <- Company: TemplateStudio Inc; TotalTime: 240 docProps/custom.xml <- TemplateLicense=TS-FREE-9921 After wipe (My-Resume-clean.docx): docProps/core.xml REMOVED <- template author gone docProps/app.xml REMOVED docProps/custom.xml REMOVED <- vendor stamp gone removedEntries: 3 (your name + contact details on the page: UNCHANGED)
A resume saved on your work computer
You edited the resume on your employer's laptop, so app.xml names the company and core.xml shows the work account. Wiping before you apply elsewhere stops a recruiter from seeing your current employer in the file properties.
Before (unzip Resume-2026.docx): docProps/core.xml <- Last Modified By: j.smith@currentemployer docProps/app.xml <- Company: Current Employer Ltd; TotalTime: 1840 After wipe (Resume-2026-clean.docx): docProps/core.xml REMOVED docProps/app.xml REMOVED <- employer name gone removedEntries: 2
A cover letter a friend reviewed in Word
A friend added tracked comments to your cover letter. Their name is in the comment streams. The wipe removes the comments and the people map; you accept any tracked text changes in Word first.
Before (unzip Cover-Letter.docx): docProps/core.xml word/comments.xml <- 5 comments from your friend word/people.xml <- friend's name + GUID word/document.xml <- may have tracked edits! After wipe (Cover-Letter-clean.docx): docProps/core.xml REMOVED word/comments.xml REMOVED word/people.xml REMOVED word/document.xml UNCHANGED <- accept track changes in Word! removedEntries: 3
Confirming before you hit send
Recruiters and ATS systems can read the container. Verify yours is clean: rename the cleaned copy to .zip and check the property streams are gone.
$ cp My-Resume-clean.docx verify.zip $ unzip -l verify.zip | grep docProps (no core.xml / app.xml / custom.xml) # Result panel reported: removedEntries: 3 inputBytes: 41200 outputBytes: 36980
Cleaning a portfolio spreadsheet or pitch deck too
Applying for a role with a work-sample .xlsx or a portfolio .pptx? The same wipe clears their properties and any reviewer comments. Macros, if present, are preserved.
Before (unzip Portfolio-Deck.pptx): docProps/core.xml docProps/thumbnail.jpeg <- preview of slide 1 ppt/commentAuthors.xml <- reviewer registry After wipe (Portfolio-Deck-clean.pptx): docProps/core.xml REMOVED docProps/thumbnail.jpeg REMOVED ppt/commentAuthors.xml REMOVED removedEntries: 3
Edge cases and what actually happens
My name disappeared from the resume
Cannot happenYour visible name and contact details are body text inside word/document.xml, which the wiper never modifies — only metadata property streams are removed. The recruiter still sees your name on the page. The only 'name' removed is the hidden Author / Last Modified By metadata, which is usually a template author or your work account anyway.
Author reappears after I open and save the clean copy
ExpectedWord writes a fresh docProps/core.xml naming your current logged-in account as Creator the next time you open and SAVE the file. The wipe was correct when it ran. Make the wipe the last step before you attach the file, and do not open-and-save the cleaned copy afterwards.
Legacy .doc resume dropped
RejectedAn old .doc is a binary OLE compound file, not an OOXML ZIP, so it is rejected by the accept filter (.docx,.xlsx,.pptx). Open it in Word and Save As .docx, then wipe the converted copy.
Track changes from tailoring the resume survive
By designRevision marks live inside the document body, not a metadata stream, and are deliberately not removed. A marked-up resume can show who made which edit. Accept all changes in Word's Review tab before exporting.
removedEntries comes back as 0
ExpectedZero means the file already had no targeted property or comment streams — common for a resume already cleaned. It is not an error; the file is still repacked and saved with the -clean suffix.
Running on the Free plan
Rejected: requires ProThe tool's minimum plan is Pro. A Free-tier run is rejected with Office Doc Property Wiper requires the pro plan. before any file is read.
A photo on the resume still has EXIF
Out of scopeIf your resume includes a headshot, that image's EXIF lives inside word/media/, not a document property stream, and survives the wipe. Scrub the photo before inserting it; see gps-geotag-remover.
You also send a PDF of the resume
Use a different toolMany candidates export the resume to PDF. PDFs are not OOXML ZIPs and are rejected here — and a PDF carries its own Author / Producer fields. Run it through pdf-history-sanitizer.
Repacked file is a few KB different in size
ExpectedJSZip re-compresses the surviving entries on repack, so outputBytes rarely matches the source exactly even beyond the deleted streams. The resume opens identically; the delta is ZIP recompression plus removed XML, not content loss.
Total Editing Time still shows in an old emailed copy
ExpectedThe wipe only affects the cleaned copy. Any version you already sent or saved elsewhere keeps its metadata. Send the -clean copy going forward and delete stale copies if their edit history concerns you.
Frequently asked questions
Does this remove my name from the resume?
No — your visible name and contact details stay on the page, because they are body text, not metadata. What it removes is the hidden Author / Last Modified By in docProps/core.xml and the Company in docProps/app.xml, which usually name a template author, a helper, or your current employer rather than you. Recruiters still see your name; they no longer see the hidden author trail.
Why does my old employer's name show in the file?
If you created or last saved the resume on a work computer, Word stamps the Company into docProps/app.xml and your work account into docProps/core.xml. The wiper deletes both streams, so a recruiter inspecting File → Properties no longer sees the employer you are leaving.
Can a recruiter really see this metadata?
Yes. Anyone can open File → Info → Properties in Word, and applicant-tracking systems parse the OOXML container directly. The Author, Company, and Total Editing Time fields are all readable without any special tools, which is why clearing them before you apply is worth the extra minute.
Does it remove the template author?
Yes. If you built your resume on a downloaded template, the template vendor's name often lingers in docProps/core.xml (Creator) and docProps/app.xml (Company), and sometimes a licence string in docProps/custom.xml. All three streams are deleted, so the file no longer advertises the template you started from.
Is my resume uploaded anywhere?
On the public website, no. JSZip unpacks, strips, and repacks the file in your browser, so your address, phone number, and employment history never leave your machine. The optional API path also runs through a runner on your own machine. A counter of runs (no content) is recorded for audit.
Will my formatting change?
No. The wiper removes metadata property streams only; styles, fonts, layout, and the document body are untouched. The cleaned resume opens looking identical to the original — the only difference is the cleared properties.
Does it hide how long I spent on a cover letter?
It removes docProps/app.xml, which holds Total Editing Time, so a recruiter cannot see that the 'tailored' letter took four minutes. Note that the next time you open and save the file, Office begins recording edit time again — so wipe last, right before sending.
What if a friend left comments on my draft?
Their feedback is removed. The tool deletes word/comments.xml and word/people.xml (and the other comment streams), so a reviewer's name and notes do not travel with the file. If they also made tracked text edits, accept those in Word's Review tab first — track changes are body content and are not removed.
What plan do I need?
The Pro plan or higher. A resume is tiny relative to the 100 MB Pro file-size cap, so size is never a concern. A Free-tier run is rejected before the file is read with the message naming the required plan.
I also export my resume to PDF — does this handle that?
No. PDFs are not OOXML ZIPs and are rejected by this tool, and a PDF carries its own Author and Producer metadata. Run the PDF through pdf-history-sanitizer to clear those fields.
How do I confirm it worked?
Open the cleaned file and check File → Info → Properties — Author and Company should be blank. For certainty, copy the file to a .zip and confirm docProps/core.xml, app.xml, and custom.xml are absent. The result panel also reports a removedEntries count.
What about a headshot on the resume?
An embedded photo keeps its own EXIF inside word/media/, which is per-image metadata, not a document property stream, so it survives the wipe. Scrub the photo before inserting it — see gps-geotag-remover for image EXIF, or audio-id3-ghoster if you ever attach audio.
Privacy first
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