| Word Document Protection & Security |

MS WORD: WORKING WITH PROTECTION AND SECURITY

Types of Document Protection

• When working on windows word with sensitive data, it is better to add
the required protection and security
• Microsoft word offers different ways to secure the word document.
They are
▪ Protect document with read only option
▪ Protect document with password option
▪ Protect document with final option
▪ Restrict document with restrict editing.

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| Word Document Protection & Security |

Protect Word Document with Read Only Option

• One of the easy ways to protect word document is the read only
method.
• Once document is set as read-only, then anyone can read the document
with read only option, modify and resave the document.
• The advantage is that, people can’t alter / change the original
document content.
Protect Word Document with Password Option
• This is most powerful method to protect the word document with
password option. Here word document will be securely protected by
using password option
• Here user has to submit new password and confirm password for the
document protection
• Once document is encrypted by password, then user needs to submit
correct password each time when opening the document otherwise word
document will not be opened.
Protect Word Document with Final Option
• The goal of this option is not to avoid from editing the document but to
tell the readers that is the recommended final version
• If some one still wants to edit the word further, their actions will be
recorded
• When a word document is marked as final, then edited again, the original
person who locked it is still displayed as the author, while the other
person will be saved as the one who lost modified the document.
• This option is done by opening File → Info → Protect Document and
choose as Mark as Final.

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| Word Document Protection & Security |

Screenshot

Protect Word Document with Restrict Editing option

• We can limit the ways in which the word can be edited.
• Through this option, you can restrict the options like formatting
restrictions, editing restrictions and start enforcement with password /
authenticated user.
• This is done by clicking File → Info → Protect Document and choose
Restrict Editing option.
Before Restrict Editing

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| Word Document Protection & Security |

After Restrict Editing

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| Word Document Protection & Security |

I. PROTECT DOCUMENT USING READ ONLY OPTION

Used Word : 2019 Pro
OS : Windows 10

Step 1: Open the input word document

Step 2: Select Always Read Only Option from the Protect Document of File
Option (Click File → Protect Document → Always Read Only Option)

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Step 3: Confirmation Result

2. Output - Testing the Document After Read Only

2.1 Opening Read Only Document – test.docx

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2.2 Contents of Document – test.docx

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2.3 Result for Non Alteration of Original Document

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II. PROTECT DOCUMENT USING PASSWORD OPTION

Used Word : 2019 Pro
OS : Windows 10

Step 1: Open the input word document

Step 2: Select Encrypt with Password from the Protect Document of File
Option (Click File → Protect Document → Encrypt with Password)

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Step 4 – Setting New Password (12345)

Step 5 – Setting Confirm Password (12345)

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Step 6 Confirmation Result

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2. Output – Testing the Document After Setting the Password

2.1 Success Case - Opening the Encrypted Document – Submission of
Correct Password

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| Word Document Protection & Security |

2.2 Failure Case - Opening the Encrypted Document – Submission of

Wrong Password

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