Google Docs is an incredibly powerful collaboration tool that allows multiple users to work on a document simultaneously. However, sometimes you might notice that you appear as “Anonymous” when editing or commenting. If you’d rather not be anonymous, you can follow these steps to rectify the situation.
Why am I appearing as ‘Anonymous’?
Firstly, it’s helpful to understand why you might be showing up as ‘Anonymous’. This usually happens because you’re not signed into a Google account when viewing a document, or you’ve accessed a document link that doesn’t require a Google account for viewing.
How to not be anonymous?
There are a couple of options that you can consider to stop appearing as Anonymous in Google Docs:
Step 1: Sign in to your Google Account
If you’re not signed into a Google account, the first thing you need to do is sign in. You can do this by clicking on the ‘Sign In’ button located at the top-right corner of the Google Docs page.
Step 2: Requesting Permission
If you’re signed in but still appearing as ‘Anonymous’, the document you’re viewing might be shared with a link rather than specific email addresses. In this case, you can request the document owner to share the document specifically with your Google account email address.
Step 3: Creating a Google Account
If you don’t have a Google account, you’ll need to create one. Once you’ve created and signed into your Google account, you’ll be able to collaborate on documents without being anonymous, as your Google account name will be displayed.
Wrapping Up
Being anonymous in Google Docs is a useful feature when you need it, but it’s equally easy to display your identity when needed. In most cases, simply signing in to your Google account will ensure that you’re not anonymous. However, for documents shared with a link, a quick message to the owner requesting them to share it with your email should resolve the issue.
