Protecting a Word 2007 document

Q How can I create a document that does not allow other people to change or delete parts of the text? I am using Word 2007.

John Rowland

A Word 2007 has some quite powerful tools for restricting what other people can do to a document. Even better, it is possible to be specific about what can be edited and what must be left alone.

Here's how it can create a text box with an address that cannot be edited while still letting people edit the rest of the document.

Create a new, blank document. Click on the Insert tab on the Ribbon and then on Text box. Select a style for the Text box – we used Simple Text Box. Move the box to the correct position by clicking and dragging on the border of the text box.

The cursor will change into four arrows when it is in the correct place for moving. Click inside the text box and enter the address. The box will adjust its size automatically, but you can click and drag on the blue circles on the border in order to change the proportions.

Once the box is in the correct place, it is time to add the protection to it. Click inside the address box so the text entry cursor is inside the box. Click on the Review tab and then on Protect Document.

The top option ‘Limit formatting to a selection of styles’ is up to you, but it’s probably best to leave it unselected unless you are sure this is something you want to restrict.

Click in the box ‘Allow only this type of editing in the document’, so that a tick appears and then select ‘No changes (Read only)’ in the dropdown menu immediately below.

Now click in the main part of the document. Click in the box labelled ‘Everyone’ in the Exceptions section. This will allow people to make changes in the main part of the document.

Click on the button Yes, Start Enforcing Protection and enter a password. The Task Pane will remain visible on the right-hand side of the document and state whether or not you can edit a region.

A useful tool is the ‘Show all regions I can edit’ button. Click on this to select every part of the document that can be edited.

It is also helpful to leave the option beneath this button ‘Highlight the regions I can edit’ selected. Square brackets will then appear around text that can be changed.

To remove the protection from the document, click on the Stop Protection button in the Restrict Formatting and Editing Task Pane and enter the password for the document. Click on the Review tab and then the Protect Document button if this Task Pane is not visible.

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