TL;DR
Google Docs can help remove some hidden data and potentially malicious elements from Microsoft Word (.docx) and Excel (.xlsx) files, but it’s not a perfect solution. It works best for simple cleaning – removing formatting, comments, or tracked changes. For serious security concerns, dedicated sanitisation tools are much better.
How to Sanitize Documents with Google Docs
- Upload the Document: Open Google Drive and upload your Word or Excel file.
- Open with Google Docs/Sheets: Right-click on the uploaded file, select ‘Open with’, then choose ‘Google Docs’ (for .docx) or ‘Google Sheets’ (for .xlsx). This converts the file to its Google format.
- Remove Tracked Changes & Comments (Word):
- Go to Edit > History > Show revision history.
- Review each revision. You can ‘Reject’ changes or delete specific revisions entirely. This effectively removes tracked changes.
- To remove comments, go to Edit > Find and replace (or Ctrl+H). Search for “[Comment by …]”. Replace with nothing (leave the ‘Replace with’ field blank). Repeat until no more comments are found. Be careful as this may also remove legitimate text if comment author names appear in your document content.
- Remove Formatting:
- Select all the text (Ctrl+A).
- Go to Format > Clear formatting. This removes bold, italics, colours, and other styles.
- Remove Hidden Data (Excel):
- Google Sheets won’t directly show hidden cells in the same way Excel does. However, you can identify potential issues by sorting columns.
- Select a column and go to Data > Sort range. Look for unexpected or blank entries that might indicate hidden data.
- Check formulas: Review complex formulas (Format > Number > Formula audit) for anything suspicious.
- Download as a Clean Document:
- Go to File > Download.
- Choose the format you need: ‘Microsoft Word (.docx)’ or ‘Microsoft Excel (.xlsx)’. This downloads the cleaned version of your file.
Important Considerations & Limitations
- Not a Full Sanitizer: Google Docs doesn’t remove all potential threats like macros, embedded objects, or complex scripting.
- Formatting Loss: Clearing formatting will change the appearance of your document.
- Metadata Remains: Document metadata (author, creation date, etc.) is not removed by this method.
- Complex Documents: This process can be time-consuming for large or complex documents.
- Security Risks: If you suspect a document contains malware, do not open it in Google Docs or any other program until it has been scanned with dedicated cyber security software.
Dedicated Sanitisation Tools
For more robust sanitisation, consider using tools specifically designed for this purpose:
- Microsoft Office Purge: A free tool to remove hidden data from Word and Excel files.
- Online Document Sanitizers: Several websites offer document sanitisation services (research carefully before uploading sensitive documents).
- Virus Scanners: Always scan any downloaded file with an up-to-date virus scanner.