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How to lock parts of document in Word?

If you want to allow other users to change the certain parts of a document, you can lock parts of the Word document, and the unlocked parts of the document can be edited freely.

Lock specified sections of document in Word

Lock part of documents with content control in Word

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arrow blue right bubbleLock specified sections of document in Word

The first method will guide you to add section breaks in current document, and then lock specified sections easily. And you can do it as following:

Step 1: Put the cursor before the part of document you will protect, and then click the Breaks > Continuous on the Page Layout tab. Then add a continuous break at the end of the part of document with same way.

Step 2: Show the Restrict Editing pane with clicking the Restrict Editing button on the Review tab.

Note: In Word 2007, you need to click the Protect Document > Restrict Formatting and Editing on the Review tab.

Step 3: In the Restrict Editing pane, go to the Editing restrictions section, and:

(1) Check the option of Allow only this type of editing in the document;

(2) Click the following box, and then specify the Filling in forms from the drop down list;

(3) Click the text of Select Sections.

(4) In the popping up Section Protection dialog box, only check the sections you will protect, and then click the OK button.

Step 4: Go ahead to click the Yes, Start Enforcing Protection button in the Restrict Editing pane.

Step 5: In the throwing Start Enforcing Protection dialog box,

(1) Check the Password;

(2) Enter your password in the both Enter new password (optional) box and Reenter password to confirm box;

(3) Click the OK button.

Step 6: Save your Word document.

Up to now, the specified sections have been protected by your specified password already.


arrow blue right bubbleLock part of documents in Word

This method will guide you to lock a specified part of a document with adding a content control in Microsoft Word easily.

Step 1: Select the part of document you will protect, and then click the Rich Text Content Control button on the Developer tab.

Note: Click to know how to add the Developer tab into the Ribbon: Show developer tab/ribbon in Word

Step 2: Go ahead to click the Properties button on the Developer tab.

Step 3: In the coming Content Control Properties dialog box,

(1) Enter a name for this content control in the Title box;

(2) Check the option of Content control cannot be deleted;

(3) Check the option of Contents cannot be edited;

(4) Click the OK button.

Step 4: Enable the Restrict Editing pane (or Restrict Formatting and Edit pane) with clicking the Restrict Editing button on the Developer tab.

Notes:

(1) In Word 2007, please click the Protect Document > Restrict Formatting and Editing on the Developer tab.

(2) You can also find out the Restrict Editing button (or Protect Document button) on the Review tab.

Step 5: Go to the Restrict Editing pane,

(1) Check the option of Limit formatting to a selection of styles;

(2) Uncheck the option of Allow only this type of editing in the document;

(3) Click the Yes, Start Enforcing Protection button.

Step 6: In the coming Start Enforcing Protection dialog box,

(1) Check the Password;

(2) Enter your password in the both Enter new password (optional) box and Reenter password to confirm box;

(3) Click the OK button.

Step 7: Save current document.


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Comments (18)
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This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hello, is it possible to lock entire page? Let say I want to create template where 1st page can be edited by everyone, but 2nd page needs to be locked and it cannot be move to 3rd page etc. So if someone will add lots of text on 1st page it will skip to 3rd page without making changes on 2nd page.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Why do you continue to try to blow wind life into a dead (and useless) animal? (by helping users to overcome is newly created difficulties).聽 By now, more than 90% of the functionality of post 2003 versions of MS"Office" require complex & time consuming work-arounds in order to work as before. As useless as it might appear, please you too, do complain directly to Microsoft. The 94% of Humanity that uses Microsoft products deserves better.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
How do I protect a word document from others to edit it, but not using a password. Can you lock the letter and signature without having to put in a password
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hi. does this work within a table? it does not work for me. is there any solution? Also even when I put and ab Legacy, this does not seem to work as it expands the table. How can I make the table not expanding? thanks
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
In the second example "Lock part of documents in Word" the third step appears to be weak. Anyone with access to the Developer tab (that is, everyone) can simply open Content Control Properties dialog box and uncheck the "Content control cannot be deleted" and "Contents cannot be edited" options, even when the document has been restricted. The would defeat any attempt to protect parts of the document.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Did you find a workaround to this problem?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
You can put a password protection on this after locking the sections you want to disable editing. Click on Restrict editing in the Developer tab, click option 2 Editing restrictions and select Filling in forms in the drop down box. Then click on "Yes, Start Enforcing Protection". From there you should have an option to put in a password.
To be able to unlock and edit the person would need to go back into the Restrict Editing tab, click on Stop Protection at the bottom right corner and provide the password.

Hope this helps :)
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
What do I do if properties doesn't get highlighted? I can't click it.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I haven't spent the last hour trying to figure out if this was possible and I finally found the instructions on your website!!
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Hi How do I lock my pages, so they don't run on to the next page? I have created a form with sections to be completed but want to ensure the content I have stays on one page within relevant sections. Thanks
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
Thanks for the information. I got the desired results. This may be politically incorrect, but it would be nice if your tech writers spoke (and used) proper English. I realize you're speaking to an international audience, but even then better English would facilitate translation. Maybe because I write this stuff (computer-ish instructions) for a living and, like it or not, I use Microsoft Office to do it, I was able figure out what the writer was trying to say. (The pictures helped immensely. Even if the writer had written in his/her native language -- whatever it is -- the pictures would have shown me what I needed.) I really shouldn't complain. Usually I either can't find the answers to my Office questions or the doctor of engineering who wrote the answer to my question assumes all the readers have at least a EE. The solution presented was at least decipherable. Thank you.
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
I have designed a template sheet for football predictions, but want to allow people to add their names and predictions for the scores, how do I protect just parts of my document?
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site
dddd You have received Return from vacation Request No: 428
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