Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007 and 2010. 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: Read-Only Files.
By definition, a read-only file is one which you can open and look at, but which you cannot change and save under the same file name. There are times when read-only files are beneficial, but what do you do if files are turning into read-only files on their own?
The first thing to check out is those items over which you have control. For instance, has someone set the options in Word so that read-only is the recommended way to save files? You can check this by displaying the Save As dialog box and then clicking Tools | General Options. The Read-Only Recommended check box is used to control this feature.
Another possible cause is that you are sharing the Word documents across a network. Let's say you have three users trying to access a file. User A opens the file first and has no problems. Other users try to open the file, and they receive a notice that the file is read-only. The solution to this is easy—simply wait for User A to finish using the document.
A possible cause is that the folder in which the file is located is read-only. You can check this by using the Windows Explorer to check the attributes of the directory. Don't forget to check the attributes of any other directories up the line from the one where you are having a problem.
If the problem files are on a network, it could also be caused by interference from some third-party program. For instance, I know of a site that used a mixed Windows/UNIX network. They used a software package called Samba to enable the Windows system to talk with the UNIX server. When a user would create a document under Word and save it on the server, there would be no problem. However, if another user later opened the same file, then the ownership rights for the file were changed to the second user. When the first user went back to access the file, they received a read-only message on the file. In this case, the error was traced to the Samba software, which was making the changes in the file rights.
If the read-only problem is with a specific file, you can open the file, select all the contents (press Ctrl+A), open a new document, and paste the contents into the new document (Ctrl+V). Then you can save the new document and discard the old.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (11596) applies to Microsoft Word 2007 and 2010. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Read-Only Files.
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2015-09-19 17:26:58
Jim Park
The principle question that needs an answer here is why do files become "read only" on their own? I use MSO 2007, and repeatedly and seeming randomly, files that I have saved and edited in the past suddenly open as "read only." Sure I can resave it with a different name, or copy and paste to a new file. These are work arounds, not solutions. What is it with WORD that makes it decide to change the attributes of a file all by itself? And no, my "read only" box is not checked.
2015-09-06 11:46:25
Cyndi
I tried Windows 10, didn't like the problems so went back to Windows 7. The problems from 10 stayed. All of my files on Word 2007 are read-only. I've tried changing names and all but two stayed read-only. The read-only box is not checked. Short of having to copy every file, any suggestions?
2015-04-25 01:53:44
When a file becomes Read Only on its own, I have a simple solution (in Word 2013). I save it, When the title of the file appears in the box, I press the space bar once or twice. That becomes the new title of the file. After saving the file, I delete the old file. Then I rename the new file by deleting the extra space mark. That is all!
2015-04-23 09:53:36
M Jenkins
Sometimes this is helpful:
Using Windows Explorer, find the file that is opening Read Only. Right click on the file name and choose Properties at the bottom of the menu. If the Read Only box is checked, uncheck it and click Apply.
To apply or remove the Read Only attribute from a group of files, you may select all the files, then Right click, choose Properties, check or uncheck Read Only, then Apply. I find this very useful when preparing sets of controlled documents for the company where I work.
2015-04-23 08:05:57
Vincent
Yes, copying the content of a file, then pasting this to a new document is a WorkAround to this problem. But why bother? Wouldn't it easier to just save the file with/under a different name?
Matter of fact, when I think of it. I recall that the method of copying a document wont copy everything, which makes this method (Copy n SaveNewFile) somewhat unreliable. Saving under a different name however saves everything (including hidden code)
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007 and 2010. 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: 
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