Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Opening a Document as Read-Only.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated June 24, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
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 the Save As option from the File menu 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 if you are using Word 2000 or a later version:
If you are using Word 97, follow these steps:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1156) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Opening a Document as Read-Only.
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2016-10-22 12:29:39
Allan
I did steps 1 and 2.
There is no Commands and Settings button shown, as said in step 3. (It is the right-most button on the toolbar in the Open dialog box.) This displays a Context menu.
Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.
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