Microsoft KB Archive/110109

= WD: Password Protection Lost When Saving as Previous Versions =

Article ID: 110109

Article Last Modified on 8/16/2005

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Word 6.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 6.0a
 * Microsoft Word 6.0c
 * Microsoft Word 95 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 95a
 * Microsoft Word 6.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Word 98 for Macintosh
 * Microsoft Word 6.0 for Macintosh
 * Microsoft Word 6.01 for Macintosh
 * Microsoft Word 6.01 for Macintosh

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This article was previously published under Q110109





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 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?

For additional information about converting password protected documents in Word, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

168098 WD: Word Cannot Convert Password Protected Documents

Additional query words: textconv convert conversion converted converts transfer transfers translation translate 8.0 8.00 lost geninfo inf winword2 word2 wp wordperfect wp5 ami pro amipro write macword5 macword4 dosword works workswin wordstar ws pw save as saveas

Keywords: kbinterop kbconversion kbprb KB110109

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