This tutorial shows how to restrict style changes in Microsoft Word.
My last software tutorial explained how to restrict Track Changes and comments in Word. Today, we will restrict style changes in Word.
Style includes things such as font, font size, font color, emphasis (i.e., italics, bold font, underlining), line spacing, and indentation.
We’ll also look at how to turn off style restrictions when they are no longer needed.
Reader Alert: This tutorial is for general knowledge only. The Microsoft Word protection features shown here should not be relied on to protect sensitive or classified documents.
This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.
Watch more than 100 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.
The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365. These steps also apply to Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016. In addition, they are similar for Word 2013 and Word 2010.
How to Turn On Style Restrictions
- Select the File tab in the ribbon.
- Select the Info tab in the Backstage view.
- Select the Protect Document button.
- Select Restrict Editing in the drop-down menu.
- Check Limit formatting to a selection of styles in the Restrict Editing task pane.
- Select the Settings link.
- Check Limit formatting to a selection of styles in the Formatting Restrictions dialog box.
- 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.
- 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.
- Select the OK button.
- 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.
- Select the Yes, Start Enforcing Protection button.
- Enter and reenter a password in the Start Enforcing Protection dialog box.
- Select the OK button.
Word allows you to turn on your restrictions without a password by selecting OK in the Start Enforcing Protection dialog box. However, without a password, other users can simply turn off the restrictions themselves.
How to Turn Off Style Restrictions
The following steps show how to turn off style restrictions using the password entered in the previous section. Note that this process won’t turn off the style restrictions for password-protected copies of files you have shared with other users.
- Select the File tab in the ribbon (see figure 1).
- Select the Info tab in the Backstage view (see figure 2).
- Select the Protect Document button.
- Select Restrict Editing in the drop-down menu (see figure 4).
- Select the Stop Protection button in the Restrict Editing task pane.
- Enter your password in the Unprotect Document dialog box.
- Select the OK button.
Further Reading
How to Find and Replace Formatting in Microsoft Word
How to Stop Microsoft Word from Calling You “Author” in Track Changes
How to Remove User Names from Existing Track Changes in Microsoft Word
Updated October 19, 2021