Protecting Word documents
To protect Word document, do the following:
1. On the Review tab, in the Protect group, click Restrict Editing:
![Protect group in Word 2016 Protect group in Word 2016](/images/tips/47_2016/1.png)
2. In the Restrict Editing task pane, under Formatting restrictions, select the Limit formatting to a selection of styles check box, and then click Settings... to specify which styles a reviewer can apply or change.
![Protect document in Word 2016 Protect document in Word 2016](/images/tips/47_2016/2.png)
3. In the Formatting Restrictions dialog box:
![Formatting Restrictions in Word 2016 Formatting Restrictions in Word 2016](/images/tips/47_2016/3.png)
- Under Styles, make sure that the Limit formatting to a selection of styles check box is selected.
- Uncheck any styles you don't want to allow in the document, or click the Recommended Minimum button to have Office automatically select what it considers to be a minimum number of styles. Click All to check all styles and None to uncheck them all.
- Under Formatting, select the check boxes next to the types of formatting that you want to allow or prevent.
- Click OK to close Formatting restrictions dialog box.
4. If you want to allow only certain types of editing in the document, check the Editing restrictions box. This activates a dropdown list with four options:
![Formatting Restrictions in Word 2016 Formatting Restrictions in Word 2016](/images/tips/47_2016/4.png)
- Tracked changes - all changes are permitted, but they're automatically tracked
- Comments - no changes are permitted, but comments can be inserted
- Filling in forms - no changes are permitted, but data can be entered into forms
- No changes - no changes are permitted - the document is read-only
5. Next, enter any Exceptions to the editing rules. If you have established user groups, they're listed; otherwise, click More users... and enter the user names for those to whom you want to give greater editing access in the Add Users dialog box that appears.
![Add Users in Word 2016 Add Users in Word 2016](/images/tips/47_2016/5.png)
6. Finally, click Yes, Start Enforcing Protection button if you're ready to apply the protection settings to your document.
See also this tip in French: Protéger les documents Word.