How to Make a Word Document Uneditable

1. Create or open the Word document you want to make 'uneditable'.
2. In Word 2003, go to and click on the 'Tools' menu at the top of the document, and select 'Options' from the drop down menu.For Word 2007, click the Microsoft Office Button at the top left of the document, choose 'Prepare' from the drop down menu and then chose 'Encrypt Document' from the drop down submenu.
3. Click on the 'Security' tab in the pop-up window in Word 2003. You will see 4 sections in this tab: 'File encryption options for this document' where you can choose your password and change encryption type if you don't want to keep the Microsoft Office default encryption type; 'File sharing options for this document' where you can choose to add a password to allow modifications, to use the 'Read-only recommended' check box, or determine the level of editing allowed to this document by clicking on the 'Protect Document' button and choosing which sections are open to editing and who will be allowed to make those edits; 'Privacy options' is next; and 'Macro security' is the final choice.For Word 2007, access the password creation screen in this step by clicking the Microsoft office logo in the upper left of the word document and select 'Save As' from the drop down menu and then click on the 'Tools' button in the lower left of the 'Save As' pop-up window. Under 'Tools' choose 'General Options' from the drop down menu.
4. Click the 'Read-only recommended' check box. If you want to restrict the editing of the Word document, but want everyone to be able to read the document without a password, create a password to use to modify the document. If you want to restrict the ability to read as well as edit the document, create a password to use to open the document, in addition to creating a password to modify the document.
5. Click 'Protect Document' if you want to refine the level of restrictions you want to apply to the document. Please note that this step is optional. Click 'OK' to activate.