Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

How to Restrict Editing in Microsoft Word

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Today’s tutorial explains how to restrict editing in Microsoft Word. Specifically, we will look at how to prevent other users from changing your document’s formatting and editing the content. We will also create exceptions for specific parts of the document. After setting the restrictions and exemptions, we will start the enforcement. Lastly, we will turn off restrictions.

Table of Contents

All the steps listed here are demonstrated in real-time on my YouTube channel:

These steps apply to Word for Microsoft 365, Word 2024, Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016. These steps don’t apply to Word for Mac, Word for the web, or Word for mobile.

How to Turn On Restrictions

  1. Select the Review tab in the ribbon.
  2. Select Restrict Editing in the Protect group.

Formatting Restrictions

  1. Check Limit formatting to a selection of styles in the Restrict Editing pane.
  2. Select the Settings link.
  3. Check Limit formatting to a selection of styles in the Formatting Restrictions dialog box.
  4. Check or uncheck the individual styles you want to allow from the Formatting Restrictions dialog box. Or, select one of the preset option buttons:
    • All checks every style option currently allowed in the document.
    • Recommended Minimum checks common style options currently allowed in the document but unchecks less common styles such as table and list formatting.
    • None unchecks all style options. Select this option if you want to prevent other Word users from making any style change.
  1. Check or uncheck the three optional formatting choices:
    • Allow AutoFormat to override formatting restrictions lets AutoFormat supersede the options selected in the Formatting Restrictions dialog box. Unless you are using AutoFormat (which is not common), strongly consider unchecking this option.
    • Block Theme or Scheme switching prevents other users from changing the document to a different theme in the Design tab or to a separate scheme (such as a color scheme, which is not common).
    • Block Quick Style Set switching prevents other users from using the style options on the Home tab.
  1. Select the OK button.
  2. Select Yes or No in the dialog box asking if you want to remove existing styles that aren’t allowed by the restrictions you just set in the Formatting Restrictions dialog box. Select No if you want to keep the current formatting in your document.

Editing Restrictions

  1. Check Allow only this type of editing in the document in the Restrict Editing task pane.
  2. Select the menu arrow and then choose the type of editing you want to allow from the drop-down menu:
    • Track changes prevents users from creating untracked changes in the document. If a change is made, it will be tracked.
    • Comments allows users to leave comments but not to use the Track Changes editing tools.
    • Filling in forms lets users fill in forms.
    • No changes (Read only) prevents users from changing the document.

Optional Step: Exceptions

If you selected Comments or No changes, you can exempt parts of the document from being restricted.

  1. Select the part of the document you want to exempt.

Pro Tip: To select multiple parts, press and hold Ctrl on your keyboard as you select additional parts.

  1. Check Everyone in the Groups section.

Specific users can be exempt by selecting More Users and then following Word’s user-verification process.

Start Restriction Enforcement

  1. Select the Yes, Start Enforcing Protection button.
  2. Enter and then reenter a password in the Start Enforcing Protection dialog box.
  3. Select the OK button to close the Start Enforcing Protection dialog box.

Important Notes

Word will allow you to turn on your editing restrictions without a password by selecting OK in the Start Enforcing Protection dialog box. However, without a password, other users can simply turn off your restrictions themselves.

Word does not provide a way to retrieve lost passwords, so take note of your password. (You don’t want to get locked out of your own Word file!)

How to Turn Off Restrictions

You can turn off editing restrictions added to your own documents. However, these steps won’t turn off restrictions in password-protected copies of files you have shared with other users.

  1. Select the Review tab in the ribbon.
  2. Select the Restrict Editing button in the Protect group.
  3. Select the Stop Protection button in the Restrict Editing task pane.
  4. Enter your password in the text box in the Unprotect Document dialog box.
  5. Select the OK button to close the Unprotect Document dialog box.
Do you want to create a password to limit who can open your Word file? Please see “How to Password Protect Files in Microsoft Word.”

Related Resources

How to Remove Hidden Text in Microsoft Word

How to Hide Text in Microsoft Word (and Show It)

Updated November 11, 2025