TL;DR
Grammarly Authorship is an opt-in feature that tracks whether text in your document was typed, pasted, AI-generated or edited by Grammarly. It works in Google Docs, Microsoft Word and the Grammarly editor, and creates a shareable report and replay of your writing process. Basic tracking is free, but it isn't perfect.
Grammarly Authorship, Explained
Grammarly Authorship records the origin of the text in a document while you write it. Instead of guessing from the finished essay, the way an AI detector does, it watches the process: what you typed, what you pasted and from where, and what came from an AI tool. When you're done, you can generate a report and share it with a teacher or editor. (Grammarly: Introducing Authorship)
Grammarly announced it in August 2024, launched a beta in Google Docs that autumn, and later expanded it to Microsoft Word. (Grammarly announcement)
How Grammarly Authorship Works
Authorship sorts every piece of text into a category based on how it arrived:
- Typed by you
- Pasted from a browser-based source (with the source named)
- Pasted from an unknown source
- Generated by AI
- Typed, then changed with on-demand AI rephrasing
- Edited with non-generative tools such as grammar corrections
Two details matter. First, Authorship needs clipboard access; without it, pasted text is labeled as coming from an unknown source. Second, a tracking session expires after 10 minutes of idle time, so long breaks start a new session.
Where It Works (and How to Turn It On)
| App | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Google Docs | Grammarly browser extension for Chrome or Edge |
| Microsoft Word | Grammarly desktop app on Windows or Mac (on Mac, save the document to start tracking) |
| Grammarly's own editor | On automatically |
In Google Docs and Word it's off by default. Click the thumbprint icon to enable it for the document, or set it to start automatically. The icon is gray when tracking is off and colored when it's on.
Grammarly's documentation doesn't mention Safari, iPad or offline support, so don't count on them. Microsoft Word also has a 20-page limit: past that, Grammarly says the tracked history may become unreliable. If you're writing a long thesis, split it into chapters.
What the Authorship Report Shows
- Authorship Analytics: how much was typed versus pasted, time spent and number of sessions.
- Authorship Report: the full text, color-coded by source.
- Authorship Replay: your typing and editing history from start to finish, including text you later deleted.
Click Share to create a link. The person you share it with sees what you see, and you can choose to leave out the replay. Grammarly's product page notes that it doesn't send the report to anyone automatically; sharing is your decision. (Grammarly Authorship)
Is Grammarly Authorship Free?
Partly. Every Grammarly user gets basic tracking and unlimited reports, including the "Typed by a Human" figure and the color-coded text. Paid plans add the detailed "copied from a source" breakdown, including the share of AI-generated text, and Pro adds AI and plagiarism detection inside the report.
Some schools also connect it to their learning management system. In Canvas, an instructor can require Authorship reports for an assignment so they attach automatically. (Grammarly: Authorship in Canvas)
Is Grammarly Authorship Accurate?
It's useful, but not flawless. Grammarly itself says it may not capture every case correctly, citing very fast typing, pastes from desktop apps, and new AI tools it hasn't categorized yet.
Independent testing found sharper problems. In November 2025, Plagiarism Today ran a Gemini-written essay through Grammarly's own humanizer and found the report headlined "75% Typed by a Human" even though none of it was typed; the fine print said it was rephrased with Grammarly's AI. The writer argued this "effectively launders" AI text, and Grammarly's parent company said it was changing how humanized text is displayed. (Plagiarism Today)
The bigger limit is simpler. Authorship can only vouch for what it recorded. Retyping AI output by hand would show as typed. That's why teachers treat the report as one piece of evidence, alongside your notes, sources and ability to talk about your work.
Privacy: What Grammarly Keeps
Authorship is opt-in. When it runs, it collects your document text (including deleted text), pasted text and its source names, and prompts you send to generative AI. Grammarly says it doesn't collect your browsing history or activity that doesn't involve the clipboard. When you generate a report, the data goes to Grammarly's servers, where the help article says it can remain for up to 10 years; shared reports stay until you delete them or your account. Read the current help article before you start if this matters to you.
Grammarly Authorship vs Turnitin Clarity
| Grammarly Authorship | Turnitin Clarity | |
|---|---|---|
| Who chooses it | The student (opt-in) | The institution and instructor |
| Where you write | Google Docs, Word, Grammarly editor | Turnitin's own editor |
| Cost | Basic features free | Paid add-on for schools |
| Who sees the report | Whoever you share it with | Your instructor |
See our full guide to Turnitin Clarity for what it records.
Using It to Protect Yourself
If you're worried about a false accusation, the best time to start Authorship is before you write the first sentence. Turn it on, write in one document, and keep your research notes. If a detector ever flags your work, you'll have a timeline to show. For the full playbook, read AI detector false positives and is using ChatGPT cheating?.
Want to see which writing patterns might draw a flag before you submit? Our free AI content detector shows six style signals, such as sentence-length variation and hedging, instead of a black-box verdict, and it runs in your browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Grammarly Authorship?
An opt-in Grammarly feature that records whether the text in your document was typed, pasted, AI-generated or edited by Grammarly, and creates a shareable report and replay of your writing process.
Is Grammarly Authorship free?
Basic tracking and unlimited reports are free for all Grammarly users. Paid plans add a detailed source breakdown, including the AI-generated percentage, and Pro adds AI and plagiarism detection in reports.
Does Grammarly Authorship work in Microsoft Word?
Yes, through the Grammarly desktop app on Windows and Mac. Grammarly notes a 20-page limit in Word, beyond which tracking may become unreliable.
Can teachers see my Grammarly Authorship report automatically?
Not unless you share it or your school requires it through an integration such as Canvas. Grammarly does not send reports to anyone on its own.
Is Grammarly Authorship accurate?
Mostly, but Grammarly says it may miss some cases, such as very fast typing or pastes from desktop apps. It also can't account for anything that happened before tracking started, like retyping AI text by hand.