Password-Protecting Your Files

To prevent prying eyes from peeking at your Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files, you can password-protect them. That way, if someone wants to open, view, or edit your files, she must use your password. If someone does not know your password, she won't be able to view - let alone edit - your files.

You can buy programs off the Internet that can crack an Office 2007 password protected file. For real security, do not rely on Office 2007's password-protection feature. To password-protect a file, follow these steps:

1. Load Word, Excel, or PowerPoint and then click the Office Button. A pull-down menu appears.
2. Choose Save As. The Save As dialog box appears and then click the Tools button. A pull-down menu appears.
3. Choose General Options. The General Options dialog box appears.
4. (Optional) Click in the Password to Open text box and type a password. Another dialog box appears and asks you to confirm the password by typing it again.
5. Type the password again and then click OK.
6. (Optional) Click in the Password to Modify text box and type a password. This password can be different than the password you typed in Step 5. Another dialog box appears and asks you to confirm the password by typing it again.
7. Type the password again and then click OK and in the end click Save.

You can create a password or remove passwords altogether by repeating the preceding steps and retyping a new password or deleting the password completely.