Word Password: Protect and Recovery

Word password allows protecting your Word document from such perils as unsanctioned access, data theft, illegal copying or even unwanted changes. The Microsoft Word password tool is a built-in software option. Let us show how to use password protect for Word document.

How to Encrypt Word Document with a Password?

Setting up a Microsoft Word password is very simple. To protect a DOC file, just make the next sequence of actions:

  1. Open a Microsoft Word document that you plan to protect.
  2. Open the menu item "File" → "Info".
  3. Here, click onto the "Protect Document" option in the "Permissions" section.
  4. Select "Encrypt with Password". You will see an encryption dialog.

For modern Mac OS X, it will be like that on a picture below:

Password protect in word for mac

Here is a lot of options:

  • You can set up a password to encrypt Word document for reading or for changing;
  • You can also protect a Word file from such actions as changing or commenting;
  • Additionally, you can make a doc more private with removing any personal data from it.

For Microsoft Word 365 and modern Word for Windows, this is only one option of DOC file protection by password. In these cases, you will see only a window like that on the next picture:

Encrypt Word Document
  1. When you finish, click OK. Now your password will protect Word file content!

Note that you can protect not only Word documents but also set up a password for a RTF file or any other file openable in Microsoft Word.

Word Password Recovery

Firstly, we must note than recovering a Word password can be an illegal action, which is bordered to file cracking. Therefore, the much more reasonable option is to keep a Word password in security. Use Microsoft Word password recovery tools described here only if you are a legal document owner!

Free Word Password Recovery Wizard

This is a free utility that allows you to recover the information when you encrypt Word document and lose a password from it. It can break only a general (opening) password, not additional passwords such as those for modifying and commenting. This utility uses the "brute force attack" method to crack data.

GuaWord

This is a console utility that literally cracks a Word password by continuous iterations trying different combos. Note that this technique takes a lot of time, making a typical cracking time of 10-15 days per a single Microsoft Word password recovery action.

We must say again that the best way to recover data from a Word protect file is to remember or keep a password from a document as securely as possible. This is not a flaw but a merit of password protect for Word document option. Along with Excel password protection, this is a mainstay of Office security tools!