How to Set Word Revision Color Per User Through Document Property Override

You want each collaborator who edits a Word document to see their tracked changes in a specific color, but Word assigns colors automatically based on the author name. By default, Word uses the user name stored in Word Options to assign a unique color from a fixed palette. This article explains how to override that behavior using the Document Property Override feature, so you can force a specific revision color for each user.

How Word Assigns Revision Colors by Default

When you turn on Track Changes in Word, each editor’s insertions and deletions appear in a different color. Word uses the author name stored in File > Options > General > Personalize your copy of Microsoft Office. If two users have the same name, Word assigns them the same color. Word has a predefined palette of eight colors. After the eighth unique author, colors repeat. This default behavior works for small teams but becomes confusing when many people edit the same document.

The Document Property Override feature lets you bypass this automatic color assignment. You add a custom property to the document that maps a specific user name to a specific color. When that user opens the document and makes tracked changes, Word uses the color you specified instead of the default palette color. This feature is available in Word 2016 and later versions for Windows and Mac.

Prerequisites for Using Document Property Override

Before you begin, confirm the following:

• The document is saved in the .docx format. The override does not work with .doc or .dotm files.
• You have the exact user name as it appears in the author field of the document. To check, go to File > Info and look under Related People.
• You know the hex color code for the desired revision color. Use a standard six-digit hex value like FF0000 for red or 00FF00 for green. Do not include the hash symbol.
• You have write access to the document properties. In a shared environment, you may need owner permissions.

Steps to Set a Custom Revision Color for a Specific User

Follow these instructions to add a Document Property Override that forces a specific revision color for one user. Repeat the process for each additional user you want to customize.

1. Open the Document Properties Dialog
   Click File > Info. In the right pane, click Properties and select Advanced Properties from the dropdown menu. The dialog box titled “document name Properties” opens.
2. Switch to the Custom Tab
   In the Properties dialog, click the Custom tab. You see a list of existing custom properties if any have been added before.
3. Enter the Property Name
   In the Name field, type RevisionColor. The spelling and capitalization must match exactly. Word recognizes this specific property name to apply the color override.
4. Select the Type
   From the Type dropdown, choose Text. The value you enter in the next step must be a plain text string.
5. Enter the User Name and Color Value
   In the Value field, type the user name followed by a colon and the six-digit hex color code. For example, to assign red to user “JohnDoe”, type JohnDoe:FF0000. Do not use spaces around the colon. The hex code must be six characters: letters A-F and digits 0-9.
6. Add the Property
   Click the Add button. The property appears in the list at the bottom of the dialog. Verify that the name is RevisionColor and the value shows the user name and color code.
7. Save and Close the Dialog
   Click OK to close the Properties dialog. Then save the document by pressing Ctrl+S or clicking the Save icon.

The next time the specified user opens the document and makes tracked changes, Word uses the color you assigned. The override applies to all new revisions made by that user from that point onward. Existing tracked changes keep their original color.

Setting Colors for Multiple Users

To set colors for several users, add one RevisionColor property per user. Each property must have a unique name. Word does not allow duplicate property names. Use a naming convention like RevisionColor1, RevisionColor2, and so on. The value format remains the same: UserName:HexColor. Word reads all properties that start with “RevisionColor” and applies them in the order they appear.

If the Revision Color Override Does Not Work

The Revision Color Does Not Change After Adding the Property

The most common cause is a mismatch in the user name. The user name in the document properties must exactly match the author name stored in Word Options. To check the current author name, go to File > Options > General and look for the User name field. Also verify that the document is saved as a .docx file. If the file is in compatibility mode (.doc), the override is ignored.

The Revision Color Property Does Not Appear in the Custom Properties List

This happens when you forget to click the Add button after entering the value. Simply entering the value does not save the property. Click Add, then click OK. If the property still does not appear, close the document and reopen it. Then check the custom properties again.

The Color Assigned to a User Changes After Another User Edits

This occurs when two RevisionColor properties have the same user name but different color values. Word uses the first matching property it finds. Delete the duplicate property and keep only one entry per user. To delete a custom property, open the Custom tab, select the property from the list, and click Delete.

Item	Default Color Assignment	Document Property Override
Color source	Word’s built-in palette of eight colors	User-defined hex color code
User identification	Author name from Word Options	Exact user name string in the property value
Color persistence	Changes when a new author with the same name appears	Fixed until the property is edited or deleted
File format required	Any Word format	.docx only
Setup effort	None	One custom property per user

You can now force a specific revision color for each user by adding a Document Property Override to the .docx file. To verify the override works, ask the user to make a tracked change and confirm the color matches the hex code you entered. For advanced control, consider using a macro to automate adding RevisionColor properties for all editors at once. This approach saves time when you manage large documents with many contributors.