How to Password Protect Computer Files Microsoft Office Word

Password protecting files is a good way to keep shared data from being accidentally changed. It also is an important security consideration. Please read on to learn how to Password Protect Computer Files Microsoft Office Word

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Open the file on your personal computer that you wish to password protect. For this article, we'll focus on a file from Microsoft Office word.

2. From the top of the screen, select TOOLS/OPTIONS.

3. Then select the SECURITY TAB located in the top section of the 'Options' window that appears on your computer screen.

4. You'll see a 'password to open' field. You must fill this field in with a password you select. This will be the password that allows you to open the Microsoft Word file on your computer.

5. Once you enter the password it will ask you to reenter it. BIG word of caution... if you lose your password it can not be recovered. So write it down in a safe, secure place.

6. The 'password to modify' field is optional. It is up to you if you want to fill in this field.

7. Your file now has a password and is protected. You can feel more confident now, especially if putting it on removable media.

Tips & Warnings

• Write that password down! If you forget it, you'll never recover it. I'd hate myself if I didn't remind you of this :-)