How to Password Protect a Microsoft Word Document

Encrypt the Word document with a password

In current desktop Word for Windows:

1. Open the document.
2. Go to File → Info → Protect Document → Encrypt with Password.
3. Enter the password and select OK.
4. Enter the password again to confirm it.
5. Save the document so the protection is applied.

Protect a document from unwanted editing

If users should be able to open the document but not freely modify it, use Word's editing restrictions instead of encrypting the entire document.

1. Open Review → Restrict Editing.
2. Choose the editing restrictions you want.
3. For a read-only document, select the option that allows no changes.
4. Choose Yes, Start Enforcing Protection.
5. Add a password if you want only authorized users to remove the restriction.

Word can also protect only selected portions of a document when you need users to edit some areas but not others.

“Always open read-only” is not the same as password encryption

Word provides an Always Open Read-Only option that discourages accidental editing. Microsoft explicitly notes that “Mark as Final” and similar read-only behavior should not be treated as strong security, because users may be able to switch back into editing.

If confidentiality matters, use password encryption or the access-control method appropriate to your organization.

Password encryption requires the desktop application

Microsoft's current support documentation says Word for the web cannot password-encrypt a document and cannot edit a password-encrypted document. Use the desktop version of Word for password encryption.

You must know the existing password

1. Open the protected document and enter the password.
2. Go to File → Info → Protect Document → Encrypt with Password.
3. Clear the password field.
4. Select OK and save the document.

Cloud sharing permissions may be better for collaborative documents

Files stored in OneDrive, SharePoint or Teams can use sharing and permission controls that are separate from local file-password protection. Choose the method based on whether you are protecting a local file or managing access for collaborators.

The old Save As → Tools workflow is no longer the main instruction

The original Plus2Net article described an older Word workflow through Save As → Tools → General Options. The current Microsoft support path for Windows uses File → Info → Protect Document → Encrypt with Password, so the older screenshot and instructions are not retained as the primary tutorial.

Choose the protection that matches the problem

Use encryption when a password should be required to open a document. Use Restrict Editing when the file should open normally but editing needs to be controlled. Do not rely on simple read-only settings as if they were equivalent to encryption.