How to password protect PDF documents on Microsoft Word

• To add a password to a PDF document, open Word > File > Export, select “Create PDF/XPS Document,” and click “Create PDF/XPS,” click “Options,” check “Encrypt the document with a password,” click “OK,” create a password for the PDF, and click “Publish.”

Whether you use Windows 11 (or 10), you can use Microsoft Word to secure a PDF document with a password without the need for third-party software, such as Adobe Acrobat.

Microsoft Office apps like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Access include a feature to export a document as a PDF file with the option to encrypt the document using a robust 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) password, which should be more than enough to keep content secure.

Using this feature, you can add a password for existing PDF documents or export Word documents as PDFs with the same protection.

In this guide, you will learn the steps to secure a PDF file with a password using Microsoft Word.

Create password for PDF file with Microsoft Word

To add a password to a PDF document with Word, use these steps:

1. Open Word.

2. Click on File and choose the Open option.

3. Open the PDF document to encrypt it with a password.

   Quick tip: You can also encrypt a Word document with a password using the same steps.

4. Click on File and choose the Export option.

5. Select the “Create PDF/XPS Document” option.

6. Click the “Create PDF/XPS” button.

   

7. Click the Options button.

   

8. Under the “PDF Options” section, check the “Encrypt the document with a password” option.

   

9. Click the OK button.

10. Create a password for the PDF document.

    

11. Click the OK button.

12. Click the Publish button.

Once you complete the steps, the PDF viewer application will require a password to open and make the content readable when opening the PDF document.

Although this guide only shows the process using Word, you can use the instructions to protect Excel, PowerPoint, and Access documents.