Method #1
Step 1. Open up a Microsoft Word document that you want to protect with a password. If this is a new document, open Microsoft Word, click “Blank document”, and create your document before continuing.
Step 2. On the open document, click on “File”, which is located in the upper-left corner menu.
Step 3. Choose the “Info” option from the drop-down menu.
Step 4. Click on “Protect Document” option from the right-hand side of the screen to access the drop-down menu.
Step 5. A dialog box would pop-up labeled as “Encrypt Document”. Enter your password in the empty dialog box, reenter your password and click “Ok”.
Step 6. Save your document.
Note: NCCU helpdesk is unable to restore your password. Make sure you make a note of it.
Your word document is password protected. In order to remove the password protection, follow the same steps and remove the password from the empty box and then save it.
Method #2: Password Protect Word Documents with File> Save As
This is another method to password protect your word documents but you don’t need to use any “Protect Document” feature. Rather we would use the usual Save As option to carry out the password protection task. Go through the simple steps enlisted below:
Step 1. Open your word document that you wish to password protect and from the “File” menu, and click “Save As”.
Step 2. In the “Save As” dialog box, click on “Tools” and select “General options” from the drop-down menu.
Step 3. In “General Options” dialog box, enter your password in the empty box or you can edit later.
Step 4. Click “Ok”. You'll get a reenter password dialog box to confirm the password(s).
Note: You can remove the passwords by going to the Save as dialog box, selecting the General Options in the Tools drop-down, and clearing the passwords.