How to Protect MS Office 2003 Documents by Applying Password ?

As we know that technology is growing with lightening speed and there are too many good and bad experience user are facing. Maximum data is now easily available and there is high risk of leaking confidential data. Any un-authorized user can access your data very easily if it is not protected. So, it is very important to protect your data which is saved in MS office word, excel, powerpoint etc. 

I am very well aware that many users are not aware about how they can protect MS office document by applying password. Some users found it very difficult exercise to use passwords. 

If you are working on Microsoft Office 2003 then you can apply the following simple and easy steps to protect MS office document (.doc, .xls, .ppt) by applying password protection.

1. Open the document (.doc, .xls, .ppt) to protect with password

2. Click Tools, then Click Options

3. Click Security tab and then click advanced button.

4. Scroll down the encryption type and click RC4, Microsoft Enhanced RSA and AES Cryptographic Provider. By default, the Encrypt document properties box is checked and the Key Length is 128. Confirm both the fields and click OK

5. Two boxes are available in the Options window: Password to Open and Password to Modify. Type the password in the Password to Open box and click OK. Type the password in the Password to modify box also, if you want reviewers to enter a password before they can save changes to the document. But this password needs to be different from the Password to Open box.

6. Re-enter Password to Open and click OK.

7. Click File and then click Save As or click Save, if you have saved the document.

8. Type the file name in Filename and click Save.

By applying above password protection to MS office document you will get the feeling of security because un-authorized user cannot access your document without your permission unless you share the password with them. It is important to keep strong password which you can easily recall. 

I have read so many questions over the discussion forum where user said they could not recall saved MS office password because it was very complex. In such situation I have given them suggestion to download some recognize Office Password Recovery utility to open the protected MS Office document. For my personal use I always opt for Stellar Phoenix Office Password Recovery utility to recover MS Office document password as it is user friendly and easily recover the password. I would recommend you to protect your MS office document you can surly give a try to this utility. Hope the above steps will surly help you to protect your MS office document.