Articles Office Word Document is Locked for Editing How to Unlock

Word Document is Locked for Editing How to Unlock

Updated: By Yvonne Keller

word document

Word document is locked for editing, how to unlock? Keep calm, we need to know the reasons why we can't edit the word document firstly, which is listed below:

  • The document is marked as Final
  • The document sets to edit with a read-only password
  • The document is set to editing restriction

The following content is the solutions to unlock word file locked for editing with three kinds of editing restriction listed above. (Apply to Microsoft Word 2016, Word 2013, Word 2010, and lower versions).

If your document is protected by an open-protected password, the method of this page will not help you. But you're highly recommended to use the Cocosenor Word Password Tuner to help you recover and unlock your password protected Word document.

Guide Steps
Method 1: One-click to cancel the state of Mark-as-Final
Method 2: Save word document as a new copy to remove the restriction
Method 3: Unlock and remove editing protection password using Word Unprotect Tuner

Method 1: One-click to cancel the state of Mark-as-Final

If you find that a yellow reminder appears below the ribbon area after opening the restricted word document, as shown in the following figure you can unlock it by two steps:

1. Click on the button "Edit Anyway".

2. Then press Ctrl + S to save the changes.

edit anyway

Method 2: Save word document as a new copy to remove the restriction

1. Open the locked word document, click "Read Only" to skip entering password.

skip entering password

2. Click "Info" in the ribbon, and click "Save as". Save the locked word document as another copy.

save a new copy of word documnet

3. Click the "Tool", and select "General Options"

click tools to change the setting of general options

4. You need to uncheck the "Read-only recommended" option box if the option was checked. In the General Options panel, you can also wipe and delete the password if there exists one. Thus, the restriction of read-only is removed. Click OK to save.

uncheck restriction option

Method 3: Unlock and remove editing protection password using Word Unprotect Tuner

If you have tried the above method and still haven't unlocked your Word document to edit, please try this tool—Cocosenor Word Unprotect Tuner.

You can unlock the locked document by removing the above restrictions with a simple operation, especially, for the editing restrictions with passwords.

1. Download and install Word Unprotect Tuner program.

2. Launch it and click "Add". Add your read-only word document.

3. Click "Remove Password". An unprotected copy which is removed the editing restriction password is created in path of the locked word document.

remove password successfully

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