How Do I Set a Password For My Microsoft Office Documents?

Important or confidential documents need to be secured especially if it is in a computer in an office network where many people have physical access. Microsoft Office comes with a feature that allows for the optional setting of password to open and modify Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files. It is very easy to set the password for any of the three mentioned MS Office applications, all you need to do is to open the document you want to put a password on, then click "File" in the menu bar and then select "Save As" and then click on "Tools". Select "General Options" and then choose any of the two options presented--Password to Open, or "Password to Modify".

From the name of the two options probably you already have a clue as to how they will affect the document. Choose "Password to Open" if you want the document to ask for a password before it can be opened. If you choose "Password to Modify", the document will ask for a password before it saves any changes made in its content. You can also check the "Read-only recommended" option. And then, after choosing the kind of password security to be applied to your document, click on OK. You'll then be prompted to type the password you've created to confirm. After clicking "OK" again you'll be back to the "Save as" dialog box. Click on "Save". Click "Yes" if a dialog box pops up and asks if you want to overwrite the existing document.