Password Protecting Documents for Safe Transmission

Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel:

1. Open your document: Launch Word or Excel and open the file you want to protect.
2. Tools Menu: Ensure you are clicked into the document and click on "Tools" in the menubar along the top of the screen.
3. Protect Document/Workbook: Click on the "Protect Document" (Word) or in Excel, go to Protection and select "Protect Workbook" If you wish to make the document no longer editable, check Protect structure.
4. Encrypt with Password: Choose "Encrypt with Password" from the dropdown menu.
5. Enter Password: Type in your desired password (and remember it!).
6. Confirm Password: Re-enter the password to confirm.
7. Save: Click "OK" and then save your document.

PDFs (in Preview on Mac):

1. Open PDF: Open the PDF file you want to protect in Preview.
2. File Menu: Go to the "File" menu and select "Export."
3. Encryption: Click the button for Permissions and check Require Password to Open Document. Enter a password for the recipient of the document to use. (note this somewhere safe)
   
4. Enter Password: Type in your password again to confirm.
5. Owner Password: Set a secondary password used to make future permission changes. (note this somewhere safe)
6. Enter Password: Type in your password twice to confirm.
7. Save: Click "Save."

Pages:

1. Open Document: Open the Pages document you want to protect.
2. File Menu: Click on the "File" menu and select "Set Password."
3. Enter Password: Type in your chosen password twice.
4. Password Hint (Optional): Add a hint to help you remember the password.
5. Set Password: Click "Set Password."

Numbers:

1. Open Spreadsheet: Open the Numbers spreadsheet you want to protect.
2. File Menu: Go to the "File" menu and choose "Set Password."
3. Enter Password: Type in your password twice.
4. Password Hint (Optional): Include a hint to help you remember the password.
5. Set Password: Click "Set Password."

Important Considerations:

• Strong Passwords: Always use strong passwords that are difficult to guess. Include a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
• Password Management: Consider using a password manager to securely store your passwords.
• File Sharing: If you share password-protected files, make sure you share the password through a secure channel (not email).
• Lost Passwords: If you forget the password, there's usually no way to recover it without specialised software. Be very careful not to lose your passwords!