How to edit a Word file that says Read Only

In fact, it is not difficult to edit a Word file that says Read Only on your computer. To help you open a document that only allows reading and editing, you need to clearly determine the reason for this phenomenon, so that you can fix it. can choose the fastest and most effective treatment plan.

When opening a Word file, it says Read Only, which means that the Word file only allows users to read and view, but you cannot edit the file's content. And so, the fix is quite simple: turn off Protected View, or save the file with a different name. however, you should know clearly what the cause is, from there you can find a way to completely fix it. will be the best solution.

Instructions for editing Word files that say Read Only

Cause 1: Due to Protected View settings

If you encounter this situation, the solution is quite simple. You just need to go to File -> select Options

How to edit a Word file that says Read Only Picture 1 How to edit a Word file that says Read Only Picture 1

Then select Trust Center -> select Trust Center Setting -> select Protected View -> then uncheck the 3 boxes as described in the image below -> then click OK to save.

How to edit a Word file that says Read Only Picture 2 How to edit a Word file that says Read Only Picture 2

Cause 2: Due to the read only permission of the file

This is often due to the fact that the Word file has been assigned read-only permissions to the file or folder to limit editing.

The handling is also quite simple. You just need to right-click on the Word file -> select Properties -> then uncheck the Read-only section -> then select OK to fix this error.

How to edit a Word file that says Read Only Picture 3 How to edit a Word file that says Read Only Picture 3

If you open a Word file and have a Protected view message as shown below, it is similar to Read-only mode in that you can only view it but cannot edit it. This is a mode that helps your computer open files safely, so the simple solution is to just click Enable Editing to edit.

How to edit a Word file that says Read Only Picture 4 How to edit a Word file that says Read Only Picture 4

Cause 3: The computer is infected with a virus that changes Word file properties

If your computer is infected with a virus that can change the read-only attribute of the file, then you will not be able to uncheck this section as you did in Cause 2 because the virus has already hidden this section.

To fix it, you need to use software to restore the file or use the best 2019 antivirus software to scan, process viruses and restore file properties to fix the problem.

Above are the causes as well as how to fix it to fix the Read Only message in Word file as well as how to turn off Potected View mode. If you encounter this phenomenon during use, immediately refer to the 3 Read Only solutions and apply them to handle it.

If you need to secure Word files, ensure security, and avoid others opening the file to view on shared computers, you should set a password for the word file . Please refer to the method that TipsMake has shared to keep your documents safe. This is a good solution and will never be redundant.