how can i edit a protected word document

If you do not have permission to edit any parts of the document, Word restricts editing and displays the message, 'Word has finished searching the document' when you click the buttons in the Restrict Editing task pane. The Restrict Editing task pane displays buttons for moving to the regions of the document that you have permission to change. When you open a protected document, Word restricts what you can change based on whether the document owner granted you permission to make changes to a specific part of the document. If you are prompted to provide a password, type the password. In the Restrict Editing task pane, click Stop Protection.

On the Review tab, in the Protect group, click Restrict Editing. If you are an authenticated owner of the document, or if you know the password for removing document protection, do the following: Or you might have to be listed as an authenticated owner for the document. To remove all protection from a document, you might need to know the password that was applied to the document. Select the OK button to close the Unprotect Document dialog box.įigure 15.Note: Encrypting the document prevents others from working on the document at the same time.Enter your password in the text box in the Unprotect Document dialog box.įigure 14.Select the Stop Protection button in the Restrict Editing task pane.Select Restrict Editing in the drop-down menu (see figure 4).Protect Document button with protections set Note that the text near the button now says, “Certain types of changes are restricted in this document.”įigure 12. Select the Info tab in the Backstage view (see figure 2).Select the File tab in the ribbon (see figure 1).However, these steps won’t turn off restrictions in password-protected copies of files you have shared with other users. You can turn off editing restrictions added to your own documents. The No changes (Read only) option prevents other Word users from changing the document.

The Filling in forms option lets other Word users fill in forms but not to leave comments or use the Track Changes editing tools.

The Comments option allows other Word users to leave comments but not to use the Track Changes editing tools.The Track changes option prevents other Word users from creating untracked changes in the document.Choose the type of editing you want to allow from the drop-down menu: Tracked changes, Comments, Filling in forms, or No changes (Read only).

Select the menu arrow in the Editing restrictions section.įigure 6.

“Allow only this type of editing in the document” checkbox

Check Allow only this type of editing in the document in the Restrict Editing task pane.įigure 5.

Select Restrict Editing in the drop-down menu.

Select the Info tab in the Backstage view.

How can i edit a protected word document