Sharing documents online is a very common thing today. It is a way for different users to collaborate on the same job, for example. In this way, each of them can contribute to their work or focus on a specific subject. One of the tools that we have at our disposal for this is Google Docs. However, when we are going to edit something, our username appears. At some point, we may want to access a shared document anonymously without our name appearing. In this article, we are going to explain how to be anonymous when using Google Docs.
How to edit a Google Docs file anonymously
Perhaps if we are editing our own document or with a small group of contacts we do not care. The point is that sometimes we may have to edit a document in which there are many users. A public archive that many people can access, for example. We may want our name to not appear.
We can edit Google Docs files anonymously. To do this, you simply have to follow a series of steps that we are going to explain.
When we open a Google Docs file, it is normal that we do it from our computer, with our Google user started. Simply by having Gmail open, our browser will recognize our Google user and our name will appear when we go to edit that file.
Now, if we want to edit a document without having to show our name we can do it easily. As we have indicated, if we are logged in to Google when opening Google Docs it will recognize our user and, in short, it will show our name. So what we have to do is simply log out of Google and open that file.
By doing this we will see that we can edit that file but our user will not appear. On the contrary, it will show an animal, in our case when doing the example it was a giraffe. We can edit normally, as long as the document is public, but we will never show our mobile.
Use incognito window
Another option that we have and that may be more comfortable and simple for users is to enter a new incognito window. In this way, we will not have to log out of our account or have any type of problem.
In the case of Google Chrome, we simply have to hit Ctrl + Shift + N. This will open a private window without our user open.
We can also share a file anonymously. Thus the creator’s name will not appear. For this we simply have to give it to share once we have entered with the methods that we have mentioned.
In short, editing documents shared on the Internet is very frequent and widespread. Normally, by doing so we are exposing our username. however, as we have seen, it is possible to edit public documents anonymously. We simply have to follow the simple steps we have mentioned. A quick and easy way to edit privately.
How to Be Anonymous on Google Docs
Simple open the shared link in new window
Here are the steps to go anonymous on google docs.
Step 1. First, go to any browser and open the google doc on which you want to go anonymous.
Step 2. Then you have to sign out from all your Gmail accounts.
Step 3. After signing from the account go back to your opened Google doc. It will tell that you have signed out of your account.
Step 4. Then you have to reload the tab by pressing the F5 key on the keyboard or hitting the refresh button on the navigation bar. As shown in the below image:
Step 5. Your google doc file will load again.
Step 6. After that, you will notice an anonymous Quokka icon or any other animal icon at the top right corner along with other users’ icon with whom that doc is shared. As shown in the below image:
Image source – self
Step 7. This anonymous icon actually indicates the google docs anonymous mode.
Step 8. It means that now you are using the file anonymously with your profile info totally hidden from other users of the doc.