How to Unprotect Your Microsoft Word 2007 Document

Remove Password
1. Open a document encrypted with password security in Word 2007. Enter the password to gain access to the document.
2. Click the 'Microsoft Office Button.' Select 'Prepare,' then click 'Encrypt Document.' This is the same process you use to set a password for opening a document.
3. Delete the password from the 'Password' box in the 'Encrypt Document' dialog box. Click 'OK.'
4. Click the 'Microsoft Office Button,' then 'Save' to save the changes to the file.
Remove Editing Restrictions
5. Open a read-only document in Microsoft Word 2007. If the document has password protection, enter the password to open it.
6. Click the 'Review' tab. Click 'Protect Document' in the 'Protect' group.
7. Click 'Stop Protection' in the 'Restrict Formatting and Editing' task pane to remove the protection. If you like, make changes to the editing restriction on the document in this task pane. Click 'Protect Document' again to close the task pane.
8. Click the 'Microsoft Office Button,' then 'Save' to save the changes.