Everyone keeps their important information like financial records, business reports, legal papers or even confidential files in a Word document. Since nobody wants their data to go into the wrong hands and be misused, many users look for ways on how to password-protect a Word document on Windows and Mac both. So users can simply add a password on Word document that will help them to keep their documents safe and secure. In this article you will understand everything you need to know like how to set a password, what to do if you cannot remember the password, how a recovery tool will help regain access and some common mistakes to avoid. Additionally, read this article if you want to unlock Word document without password.

What You’ll Learn Hide
  1. Why Password Protection Matters?
  2. Password-Protect a Word Document in Microsoft Word
  3. Lock Word Document From Editing
  4. Password-Protect Word Document with Strong Password
  5. Remove Password Protection from Word
  6. What to Do If You Lose The Password?
  7. Use Specialized Software to Recover a Word Password
  8. Mistakes to Avoid When Securing a Word Document
  9. End Note
  10. FAQs

Why Password Protection Matters for Word Documents?

Not all information can be shared with everyone especially if it contains important information, personal documents, financial records or any other sensitive information. That is why adding a password as an extra layer will help users to keep their valuable information secure. So it is necessary for users to learn how to password-protect a Word document so that only people who have the authority can open and view it.

How keeping a password helps:

  • Prevents unauthorized users from opening and viewing the file.
  • Keeps all the private information protected.
  • Low risk of accidental edits or changes to be made.
  • Confidential and business-related information is kept safe.
  • Privacy is maintained when you share files through email or cloud storage.

How to Password-Protect a Word Document in Microsoft Word?

Microsoft Word provides users with an easy and simple way where they can secure their documents by adding passwords to Word documents that will protect their files. Such a feature is quite beneficial for anyone who wants to protect their documents against unauthorized users from accessing and viewing them. Let’s now learn how to password-protect a Word document so that users can safely keep their information private and have full control over who can open and view the files.

#1: Password-Protect a Word Document on Windows

Users can easily protect their Word documents with a password by using the built-in encryption feature on Windows that is already included in Microsoft Word. Once the encryption is enabled, nobody can open it unless and until the correct password is entered. This practical way will keep the users’ information secure and safe, where only authorized people can access the file.

Steps:

  1. Open the Word Document that needs password protection.
  2. After that click the File tab in the top left corner.
  3. Select Info from the menu.
  4. Then click on Protect Document.
  5. Next choose Encrypt with Password.
  6. After entering a strong password click on OK.
  7. Re-enter the password to confirm it.
  8. Finally you can save the document and apply changes.

So the next time you open the file, Microsoft Word will ask for the password and only then can you access the document.

#2: Password-Protect a Word Document on Mac

  1. Open your document in Microsoft Word for Mac.
  2. Click on the Review tab in the top ribbon menu.
  3. Select Protect Document (or go to File > Passwords…).
  4. In the “Password to open” field enter your desired password.
  5. Click on OK, retype the password to confirm and save the document (Command + S).

Lock Word Document from Editing (Restrict Permissions)

There are situations when a user just wants others to view a document without allowing them to make any changes. So while learning how to password-protect a Word document, it is also important to learn who can edit a Word document. Since Microsoft Word offers a feature that provides editing features, this helps users to protect their document from unwanted changes while sharing the documents with others. So by restricting editing users can stress-free share the document without worrying about getting the document modified accidentally or unintentionally.

A) Restrict Editing on Windows

  1. Open your Word Document.
  2. Click on the Review tab.
  3. Then select Restrict Editing from the Protect Group.
  4. Now under Editing Restrictions you will find “Allow this type of editing in the document”.
  5. From the drop-down menu, choose the desired restriction option you need.
  6. Click on Yes and start Enforcing Protection.
  7. Enter and confirm the password if asked.
  8. Finally you can save the document to apply the restrictions.

B) Restrict Editing on Mac

  1. Open your document in Microsoft Word for Mac.
  2. Click on the Review tab.
  3. Select Protect Document.
  4. Under the Security section check the box for Protect document for:
  5. Select your desired restriction type (Tracked changes, Comments, Forms or Read only).
  6. Enter a password to enforce protection and click OK.
  7. Save the file (Command + S).

How to Password-Protect a Word Document with a Strong Password?

The only way to keep your files safe and secure is to go with a strong password that is difficult to guess. Keeping weak or simple passwords can be easily cracked without much effort. Hence, when you learn how to password-protect a Word document it is also important for users to create a password that is strong enough to prevent access from unwanted authorities.

  • Always use an uppercase and lowercase letter combination.
  • Do include numbers and symbol characters.
  • Make sure that the password is 12 characters long at least.
  • Avoid using personal information like names, birthdays or anniversaries.
  • For important documents always make a unique password.
  • Do keep a backup of the password to avoid losing access to the documents.

How to Remove Password Protection From a Word Document

Got rid of sensitive info and don’t need the password lock anymore? If you already know the password and want to make the file open normally without asking for a code every time, clearing it takes just a few seconds.

For Windows Users:

  1. Open the file and type in your password to get inside.
  2. Click File in the top left corner then select Info.
  3. Click on the Protect Document tile and select Encrypt with Password.
  4. Delete all the hidden dots in the password box so the text field is completely blank.
  5. Click OK and save your document (Ctrl + S).

For Mac Users:

  1. Open the document using your current password.
  2. Click File in the top menu bar and select Passwords…
  3. Highlight and delete all the dots in the password field so it is completely empty.
  4. Click OK and save your document (Command + S).

What to Do If You Lose The Word Document Password?

We all know that creating a strong password is necessary but it is also important that you remember it. So if a user lose their Word document password, it can be really frustrating as they cannot access their important files. As we already know Microsoft Word does not provide a way to recover a lost password. Hence users can regain if the password was saved somewhere or recorded elsewhere. But if the users don’t remember the password at all then they can also go with a recovery tool to access the document.
So before you try recovery first try these options:

A) Check Saved Passwords

Even if you have lost the password, there is a chance that your password is already stored in a note app, browser or a password manager. It is advised to check these places before moving ahead with recovery tools.

  • Check your password in your password management applications.
  • Look into your old notes or password records.
  • Try passwords that match to see if they unlock the files.

B) Try Common Password Variations

Sometimes, when the user is not able to remember the exact password, trying different variations can be another option when learning how to password-protect a Word document. So if the password was made based on familiar words, names, or dates, then there is a possibility to find the password.

  1. Try passwords that were commonly used.
  2. Test names, dates, or initials.
  3. Do include symbols or numbers that are used regularly.

C) Contact the Document Owner

Sometimes a user receives a Word document from someone else and therefore cannot access it as it is password-protected. Therefore it is best to ask to open the files quickly as they may be able to help you with the correct password.

  • Reach out to the sender or owner of the Word document.
  • Request for the password to open the file.
  • Ask if there are any unprotected versions available.
  • Verify if you are using the latest version of the document.
  • Confirm if any updates regarding the passwords have been made.

Use Specialized Software to Recover a Word Password

Even after trying everything to get back the password and still nothing works, it is recommended to go with a recovery tool like SysTools MS Word Password Recovery Software. Such a tool is especially designed in a way that it can recover or lost Word document passwords and regain them while maintaining the original data intact.