How to lock, not edit PowerPoint files

1. How to lock PowerPoint files

Locking PowerPoint files means that you must use a password to be able to view and edit content.

Step 1: At the main screen of PowerPoint, select the File tab.

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Step 2: Next, select the Info tab to view information related to the PowerPoint file.

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Step 3: Here, you proceed to select Protect Presentation (1) and select Encrypt with Password (2) to create a security key.

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Step 4: Finally, you proceed to set a password to unlock the PowerPoint file on the computer. When you finish setting the password, you will receive the message 'A password is required to open this presentation'.

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2. How to enable view-only mode on PowerPoint files

In view-only mode on PowerPoint files, users can only view the content and if they want to edit, they will need a few different operations.

Step 1: At the main screen of PowerPoint, select the File tab.

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Step 2: Next, select the Info tab to view information related to the PowerPoint file.

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Step 3: In Protect Presentation (1), proceed to select Mark as Final (2).

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Step 4: Then, select OK to agree to the changes.

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Step 5: Marked as final mode will appear, this is a message indicating that the PowerPoint file is complete and does not need to be repaired.

If you want to edit a PowerPoint file marked Marked as final, you will have to choose Edit Anyway.

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In this article, Tipsmake has shown you how to lock and secure PowerPoint files to avoid being edited by others. Good luck!

Micah Soto

Update 23 May 2021