How to Protect a Word Document

Before sharing a Word document, you may choose to protect (or lock) the document so it can not be edited by the reader. You can protect a document through the Protect Document task pane where you can also set a password, meaning the reader would have to know that password before they could un-protect the document.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Microsoft Word 2003

1. Type the document you want to share. Finalize the document through spelling and grammar check. Then you are ready to protect the document.
2. Tools Menu From Word 2003, click on Tools in the top menu bar and then click on Protect Document. The Protect Document Task Pane will appear.
3. Protect Task Pane Under Editing Restrictions in the task pane, click the box for “Allow only this type of editing in the document.” In the same section, click the down arrow and click on:
   
   (a) “No changes (Read only)” if you want to give the reader the option to copy/paste your content into their own document, and to be able to click (or CTRL-click) web links; OR
   
   (b) “Filling in forms” if you want to prevent the reader from being able to copy and paste to another source, and also to prevent web links from functioning.
4. Start Enforcement In the Protect Document task pane, click on the “Yes, Start Enforcing Protection” button. The “Start Enforcing Protection” box requesting password will appear.
5. Add Password Set a password and write it down. You will need the password to be able to edit the document yourself. Click OK.