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Password protect a Word document

Password protect a .docx so Microsoft Word asks for the password. Free, no account, and the file never leaves your device.

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How it works

  1. Choose a Word document or template (.docx, .docm, .dotx or .dotm, up to 50 MB).
  2. Type a password and confirm it.
  3. Choose Protect Word document.
  4. Download the protected copy, then open it once to check that Word asks for the password.

What it is good for

Sending a contract, CV, report or letter as an editable Word file that only people with the password can open.

Supported files and limits

Files: Word documents and templates: .docx, .docm (macro-enabled), .dotx and .dotm, up to 50 MB. Old .doc files, .xml Word files, and files that already have a password are not supported.

  • If you forget the password, the document cannot be opened. PDFScanner never sees the password and cannot recover it.
  • Only .docx, .docm, .dotx and .dotm are supported. Old .doc and .xml Word files are refused: open them in Word and save as .docx first.
  • Macro-enabled files (.docm, .dotm) are encrypted exactly as they are. Macros are not run, changed or removed, and Word decides whether to run them after you enter the password.
  • A file's contents must match its type: a macro-enabled document saved under a .docx name is refused.
  • The password protects the file at rest. Anyone you give the password to can open, copy and edit the document.
  • Password-protected documents open in Microsoft Word 2010 and later and in apps that support Office document encryption. Some other apps and online viewers cannot open them.
  • Choose a password that is not easy to guess, and send it separately from the file.

Your files and privacy

Your file is processed in your browser, on your own device. It is not uploaded to PDFScanner's servers. PDFScanner counts basic usage, such as which tool was opened, but never sees what is inside your document.

Questions and answers

How do I password protect a Word document for free?
Choose your .docx, enter a password twice, and choose Protect Word document. Then download the protected copy. It is free and needs no account.
Is my document or password uploaded?
No. The document is encrypted by code running in your browser, so neither the file nor the password is sent to PDFScanner.
Will Word ask for the password?
Yes. The protected file uses the same password format as Word's own File > Info > Protect Document > Encrypt with Password, so Word asks for the password before it opens.
Can I protect a .docm, .dotx or .dotm file?
Yes. Macro-enabled documents (.docm) and templates (.dotx, .dotm) are encrypted as they are and keep their file type. Macros are never run, changed or removed.
Can I protect an old .doc or an .xml Word file?
No. Those formats cannot be password-protected the way Word does it. Open the file in Word, save it as .docx, then protect that file.
Can I recover a forgotten password?
No. Nobody, including PDFScanner, can open the file without it.

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