Unprotect Word Documents for Editing [How To]
Wed, Apr 16, 2008
If you negotiate lots of contracts I am sure you are familiar with the guy who thinks it is a great idea to lock the contract down so that it can’t be edited. It is incredibly frustrating when you go to markup and agreement only to find that it has been “Protected.” Fortunatly there is an easy hack that will get you around this frustration and will save you or your assistant from having to retype the agreement. Dependeing on the governing law in your jurisdiction, this may be a violation of the DMCA anti-circumvention provisions, so be sure to only use it on your own documents that you have accidentally locked yourself out of 
To unprotect a Word document that has been locked, read on:
1) With the document open press F11 while holding down shift and alt (Alt-Shift-F11). This should launch the script editor in Word;
2) Next select the find option (or hit ctl-f), and run a find for the word “password.” This should highlight something like this “<UnprotectPassword>32943208</w:UnprotectPassword>”;
3) Delete the letters and numbers between the tags (in the above example this would be the 32943208);
4) Save the document in the script editor and close the window. You should now be back in your Word document;
5) From the “Tools” pulldown menu, select “unprotect.” Your document should now be unprotected.
Tags: Contracts, Hacks and Mods, Law, Legal, Negotiation, Practice Tips, Unlock, Unprotect, Word
August 21st, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Thanks!!! It Worked!!!
September 12th, 2008 at 10:11 am
Works just as advertised… THANKS…
September 16th, 2008 at 4:33 am
Thanks! Fantastic every idiot partner can fuck his protected document!!!!!
September 18th, 2008 at 10:00 am
excellent.
September 19th, 2008 at 3:41 am
Very handy little trick. Helped me out. Cheers.
September 25th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
It worked, but I chickened out… Nicely done.
September 28th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Thanks very much. Unbelievable it is sooo simple.
So what’s the point of this “protection” ? To annoy everyone ?
October 3rd, 2008 at 1:26 am
Great Hack. Much appreciated.
Thanks!
Fenton
October 7th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
Worked great! I really appreciate it.
October 8th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
open up your email, click reply. then go to touch type. type your reply. clik on the send button. voila go back to your opened email in the email application and you will see your text inside the email.
October 9th, 2008 at 5:17 am
fabulous fix!! very easy, once I installed the Word script editor
October 9th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
This is wonderful!!!!. I can’t tell you how much i really appreciate this. I just wish i knew about this sooner.
- cheers