Password protect a Word document

Two kinds of protection, for two different jobs

Sometimes a document must stay private: a salary letter, a medical report, a list of client details. Then you want Password to open (encrypted). DocsBat encrypts the whole file with the ECMA-376 agile encryption used by Microsoft Word itself, with AES. Without the password the contents are unreadable, and Word, LibreOffice and other compatible apps ask for the password when the file is opened.

Other times you want everyone to read a document but nobody to change it by accident: a policy, a signed off specification, a form. Then choose Anyone can open, password to edit or Anyone can open and comment, password to edit. These use Word's restrict editing feature. The file opens normally, and Word only allows changes, or only comments, after the password is entered.

Be clear about what each option protects

• Encryption protects the content. Without the open password the file cannot be read, by people or by DocsBat.
• Restrict editing is a deterrent, not encryption. The text is not encrypted, so it can still be copied, and tools exist that remove editing restrictions, including Unlock Word. Use it to prevent accidental changes, not to protect secrets.
• Want both? Run the tool once with read only, then again on the result with Password to open.
• Sending a final version? A PDF is often a better read only format, and a Word file can also be sent for e signature when it needs approval.

Do not lose the password

DocsBat does not keep a copy of your password and cannot recover it. If you forget the open password of an encrypted file, nobody can open it, so store passwords in a password manager. Keep an unprotected original somewhere safe if losing access would be a problem; your Drive is private to your account.