Secure your important Office documents by encrypting them with a password from the module integrated into the various applications of the Microsoft office suite.
Sharing documents that may contain sensitive data requires special attention. While it is possible to use third-party encryption software to lock your files, it is also possible to do so directly from the Office suite applications.
Whether it is Word, Excel or PowerPoint, the tools of the Microsoft office suite include a function dedicated to this locking. Once protected, your documents require the entry of a password to be opened.
1. Protect the document
To protect your document, click File then, in the Information section, expand the options for Protecting Document and select Encrypt with password.
2. Set a password
Enter the password with which you want to lock your document, and confirm it by typing it a second time.
Once the file has been successfully protected, the Protect Document menu should display in yellow while indicating A password is required to open this document.
From now on, each time you attempt to open the protected document, its protection password must be entered. If you have to share the document with one or more people, be sure to securely communicate the lock code of your document to them.
3. Remove protection
To remove password protection, open the file and enter the protection password to view its contents.
Then click on File, then in Information, expand the Protect document menu and select Encrypt with a password. Delete the password and confirm by clicking on OK.