Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Opening a Document as Read-Only.

Opening a Document as Read-Only

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 27, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021

There may be times when you want to open a file as read-only. This means you will not be able to save any changes to the file you are loading. You can use Save As (press F12) in order to save the document to a different filename, however. Opening a file as read-only is self-insurance so you don't inadvertently mess up your file.

To open a document as read-only, follow these steps once you start Word:

Press Ctrl+O. Word displays the Open dialog box. (In Word 2013 you'll need to click Computer | Browse after pressing Ctrl+O. In later versions of Word, click on Browse after pressing Ctrl+O).
Locate the file you want to open and then click once on the file name.
Click on the down-arrow at the right side of the Open button. Word displays the different ways you can open the file.
Choose Open Read-Only from the drop-down menu.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (9894) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, and 2021. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Opening a Document as Read-Only.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Adding Buttons to Your Worksheet

You can easily add a button to your worksheet that will allow you to run various macros. This tip shows how easy it is.

Discover More

Reverse Numbered Lists

Adding numbered lists to your document is a snap; Word provides tools to add them immediately. What Word doesn't do is ...

Discover More

Using Cross-References in Footnotes

Need to make a cross-reference from one footnote to another footnote? You can do it if you throw bookmarks into the mix, ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2013. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word 2013 Step by Step today!

More WordTips (ribbon)

Linking Word Documents

Want to add one document to another document? You can do it by adding links, described in this tip.

Discover More

Recovering Password-Protected Documents

Got a locked document you just need to get into? It may be quite easy (or next to impossible) using the ideas in this tip.

Discover More

Mirroring Documents

Have you ever wanted to have a Word document be accessible through two different folders? Here are several ways you can ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is one minus 0?

2021-08-24 20:19:16

Sammuel

I can't seem to do this on a document saved on One Drive. I can do this on documents saved to my PC or server, but on One Drive the arrow beside the "Open" button does NOT open the drop-down menu.

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.