WD: Password Protection Lost When Saving as Previous Versions

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 6.0, 6.0a, and 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
• Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
• Microsoft Word for Windows NT, version 6.0
• Microsoft Word for Macintosh, versions 6.0, 6.0.1, 6.0.1a
• Microsoft Word 98 Macintosh Edition

SYMPTOMS

When you save a Word document in a format other than the current Word version, and password protect the document or protect it from revisions, annotations, or forms with a password, the password is not retained. You can reopen, edit, and resave the converted file in Word or another word processor without the need to specify the password.

CAUSE

All export binary file format converters supplied with Word use the Microsoft Rich Text Format (RTF) as an intermediate format when saving in a non-default format. The RTF specification does not support the retention of password information. The converter therefore does not retain password protection when saving a document in any format besides the default.

MORE INFORMATION

To open an existing Word document prior to saving in a different format, you must know the document's password. Therefore, the limitation referenced above does not represent a compromise of security in Word. You simply need to be aware that to retain password protection in a "Word Document (*.doc)", you must work with a password protected document in the same version of Word that the Word document was protected in.

In Word 97 and Word 98 for the Macintosh, when you save a password protected document in a format other than "Word Document (*.doc)", Word still removes the password protection, but displays the following message as a warning that the password will be lost:

   This document is password protected. Saving this document in a format
   other than the current version of Word will result in the loss of this
   protection. Do you want to continue?

   ARTICLE-ID: Q168098
   TITLE     : WD: Word Cannot Convert Password Protected Documents