How to set a password for PowerPoint files to protect data

When you share a computer with other people, you don't want them to see your important documents. The simplest solution here is to create a password to protect your content, prevent them from copying or reading your sensitive content.

For PowerPoint applications, we can completely set up passwords to secure content, because Microsoft has built this feature for us already.

Yes, and in this article I will show you two ways to keep the content in your PowerPoint file safer.

1. One is you set a password for the PowerPoint file, and now the user needs to enter the correct password to open the file.
2. The second is to only allow opening and reading files but not allowed to edit the content.

#first. Set a password for the PowerPoint file

For this method, the user must enter the correct password to view the content, otherwise the user cannot view the content incorrectly.

Perform:

+ Step 1: Click on the File Tab

How to set a password for PowerPoint files to protect data Picture 1

+ Step 2: Select the info item, then choose the Protect Presentation in the next interface. Display the category => click to select the Encrypt with Password feature.

How to set a password for PowerPoint files to protect data Picture 3

+ Step 3: The Encrypt Document dialog box will be displayed.

1. We will type a password to prevent others from opening => next select OK.
2. Enter the password again to confirm the password created, note that 2 entries must match.

How to set a password for PowerPoint files to protect data Picture 5

+ Step 4: When setting the password successfully, the PowerPoint interface displays a message asking for password to open the file.

How to set a password for PowerPoint files to protect data Picture 7

From now on, in order to open the file, it is imperative that the user enter the correct password to open the file.

How to set a password for PowerPoint files to protect data Picture 9

+ Step 5: To remove the password set for the PowerPoint file, click File => select Protect Presentation => and then click Encrypt with Password.

=> Then delete the password and select OK.

How to set a password for PowerPoint files to protect data Picture 11

#2. Set the mode for others to see, but not to edit

Also known as Real-only mode. For this way, if the user knows the password, then enter the password to view the content and edit it. If the user does not know the password, the content can still be viewed but cannot be edited.

Perform:

+ Step 1: Click on the File Tab

How to set a password for PowerPoint files to protect data Picture 13

+ Step 2: Select Save As => then choose where you want to save the file.

How to set a password for PowerPoint files to protect data Picture 15

+ Step 3: In the section Tools => select General Options.

How to set a password for PowerPoint files to protect data Picture 17

+ Step 4: There are 2 boxes to enter, Password to open box is used to enter the password to open the file.

And in the box Password to Modify you enter the password to allow reading the content but not be edited, here we only use the Password to Modify option.

Enter the password, click OK, then enter one more time.

How to set a password for PowerPoint files to protect data Picture 19

When others open the file, they also receive an interface asking for the correct password.

If you do not know the password but want to view the content, just click on Read Only to read, and as I mentioned above, at this option, you can only see it, not edit it.

How to set a password for PowerPoint files to protect data Picture 21

+ Step 5: To remove the password, you must enter the correct password => then click OK to open the file.

How to set a password for PowerPoint files to protect data Picture 23

+ Step 6: Select the File Tab => next to Save As => choose where to save the file => then click on Tools => select General Options to display the password input interface for Ready Only mode.

=> Delete the password set at Password to Modify => then click OK.

How to set a password for PowerPoint files to protect data Picture 25

# 3. Conclude

So in this article I have shown you two ways to protect PowerPoint files, each with its own advantages, so you should choose to use it to suit your needs.

Well, in addition to setting a password for the PowerPoint file that I just instructed above, if you want to secure many other document files, you can refer to how to encrypt files or lock important folders.

David Pac

Update 01 January 2021