How to Password Protect a Word Document

This is how you make a Microsoft Word 2007 document ask for a password while opening.

Sometimes it becomes necessary to protect the documents we type and save on our computers from nosy friends or neighbours.

Aha! Or from any other person who wants to have unauthorized access to them. There are many ways of achieving data security on a computer.

We are going to look at how we can Password protect a Word 2007 document so that when you try to open it, it asks you for a password.

This means that if you don’t supply a password when opening, the word document will not open at all.

Before password protecting any document you may wish to create a backup of the non-password protected folder and files in case you forget the password in the future.

Then, of course, the backup should be saved away from where it cannot be easily accessed by unauthorized persons.

1. Open the office word 2007 document you want to password protect, click on the office button at the top left corner.
2. Click on prepare.
3. Then click on encrypt the document. Type the password you want to use in the dialogue box that is provided. Please do not forget your password because it will be tantamount to locking your house and losing your keys.

Also, you should not let other people know your password unless it is necessary because it will beat the logic of why we need a password in the first place.

Once you click on okay, the computer will force you to renter the password. Click okay after retyping your password; this is done to ensure that there are no typos in the first password you typed.

Note: Passwords are case sensitive so make sure you note whether your CAPS LOCK is on or off.

4. Save your office word document and close it.
5. Then open your word 2007 document and it should ask for a password as it opens. If it doesn’t, most probably you have not followed the instructions to the letter.

After protecting your document, you also need to know how to remove the password you have applied to your document. This is quite easy.

The procedure of Removing Password

1. Open the document you want to unprotect.
2. Click on the Office button.
3. Click on prepare.
4. Click on 'encrypt document'.
5. Highlight and remove the existing password. Then click on okay, save the changes and close your document. Once you open it again, it should not ask for a password.

The same process illustrated above is the same one we apply when setting passwords to Excel and PowerPoint 2007.