The file might be locked because: The file is shared and another user is currently editing it. An instance of the Office app is running in the background with the file already opened. The file has been marked as Final and can no longer be updated.
Contents
- 1 Why is my Microsoft Word locked and won’t let me type?
- 2 How do you unlock Microsoft Word?
- 3 How do I unlock word typing?
- 4 How do I unfreeze Microsoft Word without losing work?
- 5 What happens when Word is not responding?
- 6 How do you unfreeze Microsoft Office?
- 7 What do you do when Microsoft Word is not responding and you didn’t save on Mac?
- 8 Why Microsoft Word is not working?
- 9 How do I save a Word document that is not responding?
- 10 How do I unfreeze Word on Mac?
- 11 Why is Microsoft Word not working on my Mac?
- 12 Does word AutoSave on Mac?
Why is my Microsoft Word locked and won’t let me type?
Checking Num Lock
If text is not appearing on your screen, there is a good chance that Number Lick has been turned on by mistake. To check this, locate your “Num Lock” key, which often is the same button as “F11” on your keyboard. Press the key and then try typing. Text should appear on your screen.
How do you unlock Microsoft Word?
To unlock read-only password-protected Word document, just remove those two lines, and then resave the word document, the protection is gone. Probably It could be a program so can unprotect your document. Open Task Manager and ‘End task’ on all instances of Microsoft Word. You might also have to restart your computer.
How do I unlock word typing?
For unlocking selected fields which might be locked, the process is even simpler. Simply pressing control + shift + F11 keys simultaneously should unlock the locked fields.
How do I unfreeze Microsoft Word without losing work?
Press CTRL+SHIFT+ESC.
What happens when Word is not responding?
The reasons for the MS Word’s sudden unresponsive nature could be due to: If there are bugs or virus on the user’s system or the PC, it might usually cause the corruption of the MS Word files. The third-party add-ons or the plug-ins might be a nuisance which may disrupt the normal working of the MS Word.
How do you unfreeze Microsoft Office?
1. Get more storage
- To unfreeze your account, tap Unfreeze your account.
- To purchase additional storage, tap Get 1 TB of OneDrive storage with Office 365.
- After requesting an account unfreeze or purchasing additional storage, it can take up to 24 hours to unfreeze your account.
What do you do when Microsoft Word is not responding and you didn’t save on Mac?
Word for Mac document stops responding when you try to open a document
- Step 1: Clear the Auto Recovery folder.
- Step 2: Download and install the latest update.
- Step 3: Check the document name.
- Step 4: Remove the Word preferences.
- Step 5: Try in Safe Mode.
- Step 6: Check for third-party fonts.
Why Microsoft Word is not working?
If Word doesn’t work in Safe mode, try repairing your Office installation. Find and select the Office installation. Choose Modify then select the Quick repair option. Use the Quick Repair option first as it will fix many things and complete fairly quickly.
How do I save a Word document that is not responding?
In Word 2016, you can see how this is set up in the Options.
- Click on the File tab.
- Under Options, click Save.
- Tick the Save AutoRecover information every check box.
- In the minutes box, type or select a number to determine how often you want to save files eg every 10 minutes.
How do I unfreeze Word on Mac?
Go to the Apple menu:
- Press the combination Cmd+Option+Esc, and a window will pop-up.
- After pressing the above keyboard combination, the Force Quit Applications should appear, select Microsoft Word and then click on the “Force Quit” button. The Mac will also display a list of programs.
Why is Microsoft Word not working on my Mac?
The first thing that you need to fix Word not responding on Mac is either disable or remove the add-ins from your Mac.Open Word application and navigate to Preferences. Select the Ribbon and open Developer option from the tab. Now click on the Add-Ins option and choose the add-in that you want to disable.
Does word AutoSave on Mac?
On the Mac, AutoSave is available in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac subscribers. When AutoSave is turned on AutoRecover files are rarely needed.
Click Popular, and then select Show Developer tab in the Ribbon check box. 4. Click on the Protect Document Tab select Restrict Formatting and Editing 5. Click the Stop Protection Button Page 3 How to “unlock” a Word Form The form is now unlocked and can be edited in anyway.
What do I do if my Word document is locked?
To do so, follow these steps:
- Save all your work, and then quit all programs.
- Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE to open the Windows Security dialog box.
- Click Task Manager, and then click the Processes tab.
- Click Winword.exe, and then click End Process.
- In the Task Manager Warning dialog box, click Yes.
How do I remove password protection from a Word 2007 document?
Remove a password from a document
- Open the document and enter its password.
- Go to File > Info > Protect Document > Encrypt with Password.
- Clear the password in the Password box, and then click OK.
How do I unlock a document in Word 2010?
Click the “Stop protection” button at the bottom of the pane. If the form was locked when it was created, a pop-up box will open asking for the password. Type in the password and click “OK.” The form is now unlocked and can be edited.
How do I remove a locked text box in Word?
The easiest way to do this is to hit Ctrl+A to select everything in the document and then hold the Ctrl key while clicking each checkbox, in turn, to remove them from the selection.
Why my Microsoft Word is locked?
The file might be locked because: The file is shared and another user is currently editing it. An instance of the Office app is running in the background with the file already opened. The file has been marked as Final and can no longer be updated.
How do I unlock a selection lock in Word?
Of course, the selection could be locked intentionally and you would need a password to edit. On the Review tab of the Ribbon click the Unprotect Document button to unlock a locked passage.
How do I remove protection from a Word document?
To turn off the protection, click the Review tab and click the Restrict Editing icon. Click the Stop Protection button at the bottom of the Restrict Editing pane, then enter the password and click OK. Uncheck the options for Formatting and Editing restrictions that appear on the pane.
How do I unlock a locked Word document for editing?
Step 1: Right-click the Word document that is locked for editing and chooses to open with WordPad. Step 2: Now the Word document is unlocked automatically. You can edit it in your way. Step 3: Click the top left icon and choose Save.
Why can I not delete a text box in Word?
Clicking inside a textbox and pressing the Delete key will not delete it – only the text inside it. To delete a textbox you must click on the textbox border, then press the Delete key.
How do you unlock Microsoft Word 2010?
How can you recover a Microsoft Word document?
Recovering an Unsaved Document on Windows Open Microsoft Word. The Word app icon resembles a white “W” on a dark-blue background. Click Open Other Documents. This option is in the bottom-left side of the window. Click Recover Unsaved Documents. It’s at the bottom-center of the window. Select a document to recover.
How do you lock a document in Microsoft Word?
Open the document you want to lock within Microsoft Word. Select the “Review” tab and go to the “Protect” group. Select “Protect Document” and “Restrict Formatting and Editing.”.
How to unlock a password-protected Word document?
Download and install the word document unlocker on computer. Launch it and click “Recover Passwords for Files and Archives” in the interface.
Why is my Microsoft locked?
Microsoft accounts are usually locked if the account holder has violated our Microsoft Services Agreement. Here are some common reasons why accounts are locked, though not all account locks occur for these reasons: Microsoft forbids the use of our services for: Malware: Sending intentionally unwanted or harmful code or software.
You can protect documents in Word with a password, but what if you forget? Here’s how to unlock a Word document with or without the password.
Microsoft Word allows you to protect your document with a password. You can opt to lock the entire document so that it won’t open without the correct password. If you prefer, you can lock the document for editing, so that anyone can open it, but only people with the password can unlock the Word document to make changes.
Once you lock a document, how do you unlock it again? And if you forget the password, is there anything you can do?
If you want to learn how to unlock a Word document with or without a password, follow the steps below.
How to Unlock a Word Document With a Password
There are two main ways to lock a Word document. You can lock the entire file so that it requires a password to open the file and read it. Alternatively, you can lock it for editing, so that people can read the file, but can’t edit it without a password.
If the entire document is locked, but you know the password, you can unlock the file quickly and easily.
To unlock a Word document with the password:
- Double-click the Word file as you would open any unlocked document.
- Enter the password in the pop-up window that appears.
- If you typed the correct password, the file will open as normal.
If you no longer wish to lock the Word document, you can remove the password so that it will open as normal in the future.
To remove password protection from a Word file:
- Open the file using the instructions above.
- Click File.
- Select Info.
- Click the Protect Document icon.
- Select Encrypt With Password.
- Delete the current password from the password field and click OK.
- Save your file and it will now open without the need for a password.
How To Unlock a Document for Editing Using the Password
If you can open the document to read, but require a password to edit it, you can turn off the document protection as long as you know the password.
To unlock a Word document for editing:
- Open the document.
- Click the Review menu.
- If you cannot see the Restrict Editing icon in the ribbon, click Protect.
- Select Restrict Editing.
- Click Stop Protection.
- Enter the password in the pop-up window and click OK.
- The document can now be edited.
- Save the document—it can now be edited by anyone. If you close the document without saving it, it will be locked for editing again the next time it is opened.
How to Unlock a Document for Editing Without a Password
If a document is locked for editing, but can still be read, then it’s possible to use some workarounds to create a new Word document that you can edit, even if you don’t know or can’t remember the password.
How to Unlock a Document for Editing Using Google Docs
It’s possible to upload the document into Google Docs. You can then edit the document directly in Google Docs or export it back as a Word document that will now be editable.
To unlock a Word docUMENT using Google Docs:
- Open Google Docs in a browser and sign in.
- Click the Folder icon.
- Select Upload.
- Click Browse and select the file you want to open or drag it directly into the Google Docs window.
- The file will open. You can edit in Google Docs and make any changes you wish.
- Alternatively, to save the file as a new Word document, click the File menu.
- Hover over Download and select Microsoft Word (.docx).
- The file will download. You can now open this Word document and edit it without the need for a password.
How to Unlock a Document for Editing Using WordPad
If you don’t have a Google Docs account and don’t want to set one up, you can achieve the same effect using WordPad, a basic word-processing app included with Windows.
To unlock a Word doc using WordPad:
- Click the Windows Search icon.
- Type WordPad and click the app in the results.
- Select File > Open and then select the locked file you want to open.
- Click Open and the Word document will open in WordPad.
- Edit the document in WordPad or click File > Save As > Office Open XML Document.
- Name the file and click Save, and the file will save in Word .docx format. You can then open it in Word and edit the document without the need for a password.
How To Open a Locked Word Document if You Don’t Know the Password
If the entire document is locked and you don’t know the password, then the methods above won’t work as you won’t be able to open the Word document at all. In this case, your only real option is to try to crack the password.
There are websites and apps that can attempt to do this for you which can be found through a web search, but you are advised to use these sites or apps at your own risk.
Keep Your Files Protected
Knowing how to unlock a Word document allows you to open or edit files even if they’re locked with a password. As we’ve seen, locking Word documents won’t necessarily keep them fully protected.
There are other ways to protect your files, however. You could try using the Personal Vault on Microsoft OneDrive to keep your cloud files encrypted. It’s also possible to hide files and folders from search on Windows to make them harder to find.
If you’re an Apple user, you can set up Activation Lock on your Mac to protect your data if your computer is lost or stolen.
Sometimes you might get a document that’s locked for editing, and you need to edit it. It may be that you get the password and then you can access it. However, sometimes you just don’t get it. Is there a way around the password so that you can actually use and edit the document the way you want? Well, the answer is that there is. Let’s go through how to get it done.
Why Is My Microsoft Word Locked and Won’t Let Me Type?
Although I’m not going to second guess anyone, there are definitely valid reasons why your document may be locked. It may be because they don’t want their document edited, perhaps they want to preserve the look of the document. They may have even done so by mistake. If you aren’t sure, it’s always best to check with the originator of the document to see why. It may save you a whole lot of trouble down the road.
In order to work out whether your document has been locked there are two ways to see it.
First of all you can try clicking anywhere on the document and start typing. What normally happens is that you will get the following message on the sidebar on the screen:
At the bottom of the sidebar you’ll see a small button labeled Stop protection. If you have the password of the document then you can enter it there and the document will be unlocked. You can then edit the document at will.
However, if you don’t have the password then you have to find a way around it.
How Do You Unlock a Word Document That Is Locked for Editing?
The first suggestion you may have is to simply save as the document in another name. unfortunately, this isn’t going to work and the document will remain locked. Although I have seen suggested that if you save it as a rich text file it will do the trick, unfortunately, this is no longer working.
What you can do though is select all the text in the file by pressing CTRL + A and then copying and pasting the text to a new document. I have checked this lots of times and it does work well.
I understand that you may want to work on the original, but in this case, I’m afraid that just isn’t possible.
How to Open a Microsoft Word Document That Is Locked for Opening
All the above works when you have a document that you are able to open but cannot edit. The story is vastly different when it comes to opening a word document that has been locked for opening with a password that you don’t know. Let’s first go through how to lock a document for opening as unlocking it (if you have the password is just the opposite).
How Do I Enable Protection in Word?
If you want to lock a document for opening do the following:
- Click on File in the ribbon and then on Info:
- On the pop-up window put in your password. There is no restriction on how you select your password. Just make sure you don’t forget it!
And that’s it. Pretty simple really.
How to Remove Protection for a Word Document
If you want to remove this password just do exactly the same as above but in the Encrypt Document popup window don’t put anything at all. Delete whatever is there. This removes the password protection.
However, doing this only helps and works if you have the password in the first place. Is there any option that you can use that will help you when you don’t have a password? The answer, believe it or not, is yes!
Using VBA to Unlock a Word Document
If you’ve never heard of VBA, don’t worry, there is nothing overly complicated about what I’m doing. It the thing that sits behind the program and we are going to create a script that runs to help you open your document.
- Open a word document, anyone will do.
- If you have the Developer tab in your menu then click on the Visual Basic button:
- If not, then press ALT + F11.
- A new window opens up. You need to insert a new module from the menu:
In the new module that has opened paste the following:
Sub test()
Dim i As Long
i = 0
Dim FileName As String
Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogOpen).Show
FileName = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogOpen).SelectedItems(1)
ScreenUpdating = False
Line2: On Error GoTo Line1
Documents.Open FileName, , True, , i & ""
MsgBox "Password is " & i
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Exit Sub
Line1: i = i + 1
Resume Line2
ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub
- Now you have to run this module and you can do this by either pressing the run button or by pressing F5:
- You will be taken to an open document screen and there you should select the document that you cannot open.
- After this, the module will run, don’t worry if your mouse goes a little fickery, this is just the computer working hard for you. It may take a little time so don’t be concerned about it.
- When it is finished running you will get a pop up screen with the password of the document:
- You will now have the document open (albeit in read only mode) and you can access it and edit as per the instructions above in how to edit a read only document.
Another Method to Unlock your Document
There is a further method that you can use to unlock your word document and that is by using PassFab. This is a cute little program that you can use to find your password. Unfortunately, it’s not free and I can’t honestly say that it will work for all cases. However, feel free to check it out. (https://www.passfab.com/)
In Summary
I’ve gone through a variety of separate ways to unlock your Microsoft word document, whether it be read only or whether you can’t open it at all. It’s important to remember that there is almost always a solution to your office problem and that’s what I’m here for. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Good luck!
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Last Update: Jan 03, 2023
This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested!
Asked by: Mrs. Rosina Stoltenberg
Score: 4.7/5
(20 votes)
The file might be locked because: The file is shared and another user is currently editing it. An instance of the Office app is running in the background with the file already opened. The file has been marked as Final and can no longer be updated.
How do you unlock Microsoft Word?
Simply pressing control + shift + F11 keys simultaneously should unlock the locked fields.
Can’t type on word because selection is locked?
If you encounter “you can’t make this change because the selection is locked” or “this modification is not allowed because the selection is locked”, it is possible that you are using the trial version of Office or your Office trial has expired. In this case, you might need to activate your Office.
How do I unlock a Word document that is locked by me?
Resolution
- Save all your work, and then quit all programs.
- Press CTRL+ALT+DELETE to open the Windows Security dialog box.
- Click Task Manager, and then click the Processes tab.
- Click Winword.exe, and then click End Process.
- In the Task Manager Warning dialog box, click Yes.
Why is my Word document not working?
If «Word not responding» is not an error in Safe Mode, an incompatible add-in is a likely culprit. Select File > Options > Add-ins to open Word Options. Choose the Go button under Manage near the bottom of the window to open the COM Add-ins dialog box. Clear the check boxes next to each add-in to disable all add-ins.
22 related questions found
Why is my Word document not letting me edit it?
If you receive or open a document and can’t make any changes, it might be Open for viewing only in Protected View. Follow these steps to edit: … Select Protect document. Select Enable Editing.
How do you fix modification is not allowed because the selection is locked?
This modification is not allowed because the selection is locked. To return to the task pane and find a place where you have permission to edit, do the following: On the Review tab, in the Protect group, click Protect Document, and then click Restrict Formatting and Editing.
How do you unlock Microsoft Word 2010?
Click «Protect Document.» If the restriction options box is not viewable, click on the «Restrict Formatting and Editing» bar. Go down to the second option and check the box next to «Allow only this type of editing in the document.» Click the «Stop protection» button at the bottom of the pane.
How do you fix Microsoft Word?
In the window How would you like to repair your Office Programs, select Online Repair > Repair to make sure everything gets fixed. (The faster Quick Repair option is also available, but it only detects and then replaces corrupted files.) In Change your installation, select Repair and then click Continue.
How do I unlock a text box in Word?
To Unlock Fields
On the toolbar ribbon, from the Developer tab, under Protect, click Restrict Editing. The Restrict Formatting and Editing pane appears on the right.
Why is Microsoft Word not free?
Except for the advertising-supported Microsoft Word Starter 2010, Word has never been free except as part of a limited-time trial of Office. When the trial expires, you cannot continue to use Word without buying either Office or a freestanding copy of Word.
How do I remove a password from a Word 2010 document?
How to Remove Password From a Document on Word 2010
- Open the Word document using your password.
- Go to File > Info > Protect Document > Encrypt with Password.
- In the new dialog box, clear all the data in the Password field and click OK.
- Finally, save the document and close it.
How do I enable editing in Word 2003?
On the Tools menu, click Protect Document. In the Protect Document task pane, under Editing restrictions, select the Allow only this type of editing in the document check box, and then click one of the following options: No changes (read only) Prevents users from changing the document.
How can I activate Word for free?
You have to activate this first.
…
- Step 1: Open the Office program. Programs such as Word and Excel are pre-installed on a laptop with a year of free Office. …
- Step 2: choose an account. An activation screen will appear. …
- Step 3: Log in to Microsoft 365. …
- Step 4: accept the conditions. …
- Step 5: get started.
What do you do when selection is locked in Word 2019?
Microsoft Word message: «You can’t make this change because this selection is locked.»
- Solution: Activate Office. …
- Solution: Uninstall the version you do not have a license for. …
- Solution: Make a copy of the file or wait until they are done editing.
How do you unlock a locked mod in Word 2007?
Unlocking Selection on MS Word 2007
- Open Word->click on the Office Button at the top left.
- Click Word Options at the Bottom Right.
- Click on Resources and click Activate on the right side.
- If you get the activation prompt click next and activate Office over the internet.
How do I remove restrict editing in Word?
Step 2: Click the Stop Protection button at the bottom of the Restrict Editing pane. When an “Unprotect Document” dialog pops up, type your password correctly and click OK. This will remove restrict editing from the Word document. Step 3: Press Ctrl + S to save the changes.
How do I change a Word document from read only to edit?
Remove read only
- Click the Microsoft Office Button. , and then click Save or Save As if you have previously saved the document.
- Click Tools.
- Click General Options.
- Clear the Read-only recommended check box.
- Click OK.
- Save the document. You might need to save it as another file name if you have already named the document.
Why is my Word document read only?
Turn Off The Trust Center Options To Remove Word Opening In Read Only. Trust Center is a feature in Word that blocks certain documents from being fully opened with editing capabilities on your computer. You can disable the feature in the program and that should fix the read only issue you’re facing with your document.
What is an alternative to Microsoft Word?
The best alternative is LibreOffice — Writer, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Microsoft Word are Google Docs (Free), WPS Writer (Freemium), Apache OpenOffice Writer (Free, Open Source) and ONLYOFFICE (Freemium, Open Source).
How do I install Office 365 for free?
Office 365 free install for PC
- Go to office.com and sign in. …
- For step by step instructions for walking through the installation screens please visit the Microsoft Office 365 Installs.
- Once Office is installed, launch one of the applications such as Word or Excel and activate the software.
How much does it cost to put Microsoft Word on a laptop?
The new Office 365 subscription model not only gets you Word, PowerPoint, Excel, OneNote, Outlook, Access, and Publisher, but it also adds 1TB of OneDrive storage and 60 Skype world minutes. The Office 365 Home package is available for $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year.
Why is Microsoft Word black?
This is the new Dark Mode in Office. If you have enabled the Black Office theme, you will have a Switch Modes button on the View tab of the Ribbon. For more, see https://insider.office.com/it-it/blog/try-dark-mode-in-word.
Why is my Microsoft Word layout weird?
You need to turn on the view of white space between pages. It is easy to accidentally toggle this setting by double-clicking at the top or bottom of a page in Print View. You can also manage it by Word Options > Display and turn on the checkbox for “Show white space between pages in Print Layout view”.
Microsoft Word is the go-to for our research work and assignments. Even typing in a formal letter has very few alternatives.
But sometimes while you move away from the word window, it locks you out. You can restart the computer, or close the working page, which will do the work, but it might mean your unsaved work will be lost.
Most of the time the add-ins are the culprit for this problem. They malfunction ending up locking your typing.
We are going to talk about why your Microsoft Word is locked and won’t let you type in today’s article and provide you with the solution.
Table of Contents
- How to solve the ‘Why Is My Microsoft Word Locked and won’t Let Me Type’ Issue
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Can’t type in Word because the selection is locked?
- Why has my Microsoft Word been locked?
- Conclusion
How to solve the ‘Why Is My Microsoft Word Locked and won’t Let Me Type’ Issue
Just by following the steps below, you can remove the typing lock on your Microsoft Word. For this, you have to go into Safe Mode to remove the add-ins. As data might be lost if you restart your computer, this is the safest way to deal with it.
Step 1: Go to File, then to the Options menu. Choose General and you will be shown at the bottom of the Right corner to Show the start screen.
Step 2: If you are unable to access this, then you should jump into Safe Mode. Hold down the Ctrl button and click on the software until it asks for Safe mode confirmation.
Step 3: Start Microsoft Word in Safe Mode and disable add-ins. Make sure all of them are disabled. Close and start Microsoft Word again. You will find MS Word working fine now.
Step 4: If it doesn’t, you might need to run a troubleshooting and restore or repair using its original installation files. Start the program and follow the steps of the installation till it gives you the option to Install or Repair. Choose Repair from the menu.
Additional Fix: Always use the licensed version of MS Word to avoid any inconvenience. If you don’t have the setup file to repair your Word, you can do it online. A good old Restart of your computer fixes everything if nothing else works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can’t type in Word because the selection is locked?
If you are not the first editor, the owner might have locked some of the sections. To unlock it, simply enter the password on the protection window. To access it, go to File, then Protect Document, Restrict Editing and click on Stop Protection.
Why has my Microsoft Word been locked?
Some shared MS Word files come as locked due to the owner’s protection. And if you have a trial version of Microsoft Word, it will cause a lock on editing documents too. Simply get the password and update it to a full version of MS Word.
Conclusion
Being locked out of your Microsoft Word is frustrating. The reasons are a few too many. Trial versions, password-protected documents, and even if you are using a laptop, your keyboard can be locked with shortcut keys. Simply look at all of them and a simple restart can help everything go to normal.