edit locked powerpoint presentation

Restrict changes to PowerPoint presentations

If you don't want content reviewers to accidentally change your PowerPoint presentation, you can use formatting and editing restrictions.

Note:  To further restrict reviewers from making changes to your document or spreadsheet, you can make the file read-only or you can password protect it. 

Restrict permission to content in files

Select File > Info .

After you assign permission levels, select OK . The Message Bar appears, indicating that the presentation is rights-managed. If you must make any access permission changes to the presentation, select Change Permission . If a presentation with restricted permission is forwarded to an unauthorized person, a message appears with the author's e-mail or website address so the individual can request permission. If the author doesn't include an email address, unauthorized users get an error message.

Set an expiration date for a file

Select Protect Presentation , point to Restrict Access , and then select Restricted Access .

In the Permission  dialog box, select Restrict permission to this presentation , and then select More Options .

Select OK twice.

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7 Ways to Protect PowerPoint Presentation from Editing!

By: Author Shrot Katewa

Isn’t it annoying when you spend hours and hours creating a visually appealing presentation and do all the hard work, only to find out that your colleague or your manager has made changes to the presentation!

Intentional or not, now you’ve got to make the changes to your presentation again; some of which could have been easily avoided if you were able to prevent the presentation file from editing.

Here’s how to protect a PowerPoint presentation file –

• Mark the presentation as “Final”
• Restrict permission to PowerPoint
• Save the presentation as a PowerPoint Show file
• Set a password to modify PowerPoint
• Convert PowerPoint to pictures
• Convert PowerPoint to a PDF
• Convert PowerPoint to a video

There are many applications of knowing how to protect your PowerPoint presentation.

So, in this article, let’s understand the 7 different ways to protect PowerPoint in further detail such that you can ensure that the person you are sharing your presentation with, will not be able to make changes to it.

Let’s get started!

1. How to Protect PowerPoint presentation from Editing?

We shall divide the 7 ways into two groups –

• Prevent PowerPoint file from editing
• Convert PowerPoint to make it uneditable

Prevent PowerPoint File from Editing

There are actually 4 ways in which you can prevent users from editing your PowerPoint presentation.

You can either mark the presentation as final, restrict the presentation by allowing access to specific users, save the presentation as a PPS file or set a password for your presentation.

All the 4 methods and the process to use them are explained elaborately in the following section –

Method 1 – Mark the Presentation as Final 

By marking the PowerPoint presentation as final, the PowerPoint file will become “Read-only” .

Although this method doesn’t restrict people from editing your file. However, they will not be able to save changes to the original file. When using this method, PowerPoint will force users to save another copy of the presentation file; thereby protecting your presentation.

This method is especially helpful when you share the presentation over the same network within your organization or even when the presentation is saved on a cloud. It is also helpful when more than one person is working on the same presentation.

It is not a perfect fix, but a quick fix to the problem for sure.

The process of marking your PowerPoint presentation as final is given below –

Step-1: Click on the “File” tab

The first step of the process is to click on the “ File ” tab, which is the first option in the ribbon of your PowerPoint presentation. This will take you to the backend view of the PowerPoint.

Step-2: Select the “Info” option

After you have accessed the “ File ” tab, select the “ Info ” option which is the 4 th option in the tab. This will take you to a new page in the “ File ” tab.

Step-3: Select the “Protect Presentation” option

The third step is to select the “ Protect Presentation ” option in the “ Info ” section (as shown in the image in step 2). It is the first of the four boxes on the “ Info ” page.

After you click on the “ Protect Presentation ” option, a drop-down menu will appear on your screen.

Step-4: Click on “Mark as Final”

From the drop-down menu, select the “ Mark as Final ” option. It is located at the very bottom of the dropdown menu (as shown in the image in step 2).

Step-5: Hit the “OK” button

After you click on the “ Mark as Final ” option, a pop-up window will appear on your screen.

Simply click on the “ O K” button and the presentation will be saved as final. Once your presentation is “Saved as Final”, you won’t be able to edit this presentation going forward.

Thus, I recommend that you make this change once you’ve finished your presentation.

Method 2 – Restrict Permission  

The next method is to restrict the permissions to edit a PowerPoint presentation.

In my opinion, this is one of the best ways to protect a PowerPoint presentation and to prevent users from editing the PowerPoint file!

By restricting permission, you will be able to allow specific users to access your PowerPoint presentation.

To use this feature in your presentation, follow step-1 through step-3 from the previous section and then follow the easy steps described below.

The first step is to click on the “ File ” tab to enter the backend view of your PowerPoint presentation.

Step-2: Click on the “Info” option

Now, click on the “Info” tab from the options in the left part of your screen.

Step-3: Select the “Restricted Access” option

The next step is to select the “ Restrict Access ” option from the drop-down menu of the “ Protect Presentation ” option. It is the 3 rd option in the drop-down menu (as shown in the image in step 2)

Once you click on the “ Restrict Access ” option, another drop-down menu will appear on your screen. Select the “ Restricted Access ” option which is the second option in the menu.

Step-4: Click on the checkbox

After you click on the “ Restricted Access ” option, a pop-up window will appear on your screen.

From the pop-up window, click on the “ Restrict permission to this presentation ” checkbox. It is located at the top of the pop-up window.

Step-5: Add the email address of the users

In the final step, all you have to do is type in the email addresses of the users with whom you want to share the presentation, in the “ Read ” option.

This will ensure that the users can only view the presentation file and not edit it. After that just click on the “ OK ” button located in the bottom right of the pop-up window.

Now, only the specified users will get permission to view the PowerPoint presentation.

Method 3 – Save the Presentation as a PPS file

Another method to prevent your PowerPoint presentation from editing and thus protecting it is to save the presentation as a PowerPoint Show file or a PPS file.

Saving a presentation as a PPS or PPSX will open the file directly in the presentation show mode when you open the file. Furthermore, when you exit the presentation show mode, the file will close and the user will not be able to access the content on the slides.

To save the presentation as a PPSX file, simply use the file “ Save As ” option, and choose the “ PPS ” file format from the “ File Format ” option.

I’ve written a detailed article on how to use the PPSX file in PowerPoint . If you need the step-by-step guide for the process, click on the link and check out the article for detailed guidance!

Method 4 – Set a Password to Modify PowerPoint  

You can also set a password in order to prevent users from modifying a PowerPoint presentation. This method will prompt a password before opening a presentation.

Although this method will not help if you want to prevent people from editing the file as you will need to provide the password even to view the file. And, once the password is entered, the users will be able to make the changes.

However, this method is super helpful when you want to protect a PowerPoint presentation and prevent it from being access by unintended users.

To set a password to modify your PowerPoint presentation, follow the easy steps given below –

As before, click on the “ File ” tab in PowerPoint. This will open the backend view in PowerPoint from where you can enable additional settings.

Step-2: Select the “Encrypt with Password” option

The first step is to select the “ Encrypt with Password ” option from the drop-down menu. It is the 2 nd option on the menu.

Step-3: Enter your preferred password

After you select the “ Encrypt with Password ” option, a pop-up window will appear on your screen. In that pop-up window, type in your preferred password in the “ Password ” box. After that, click on the “ Ok ” button.

Once you click on the “ OK ” button, you will be taken to a new page in the pop-up window.

Step-4: Re-enter the password

Now, all you have to do is to re-enter the password on this page and then select the “ OK ” button again.

Once done, your PowerPoint presentation will be password protected and users will have to enter the password to access your PowerPoint presentation.

Make PowerPoint Uneditable Permanently? 

In the 4 methods described above, you will be able to prevent or protect your PowerPoint presentation file. More importantly, you will be able to share the PowerPoint presentation with the intended users.

However, if sharing a PowerPoint file is not important, there are other ways in which you can protect your presentation and prevent it from being edited further!

Interestingly, the methods described below will allow you to make a copy of your presentation and make it completely uneditable!

There are 3 ways in which you can make your PowerPoint presentation uneditable permanently.

You can either convert the presentation into a picture or convert it into a PDF file or you can convert it into a video. Let’s take a look at the 3 methods below –

Method 1 – Convert PowerPoint to Picture

The first way to protect your PowerPoint presentation is to convert it to pictures.

To convert your PowerPoint presentation as a picture, you will have to use the “ Save As ” option from the “ File ” tab. Simply choose a picture file format from the “ File Type ” options in the “save as” window.

If you need further guidance on how to carry out this process, check out my other article on how to save PowerPoint as an image for full details.

Method 2 – Convert PowerPoint to a PDF

You can also convert your PowerPoint file to a PDF. This is actually one of the most common methods used when you want to prevent your client or colleague from editing the presentation.

The advantage to save PowerPoint as a PDF over saving it as an image is that when you save your PowerPoint presentation as a PDF file, it is saved all the slides in one file just as the case would be in a presentation.

However, when you save a presentation as a Picture, the slides usually get saved as individual images.

Although the process to save a PowerPoint as a PDF is quite similar to that of saving it as an image, but if you are unsure how to do this, check out our other article on how to convert PowerPoint as PDF that details the process in an easy manner!

Method 3 – Convert PowerPoint to a Video

You can also convert your PowerPoint to a Video in order to protect your PowerPoint file!

If you have a lot of animations in your presentation, and you want to retain the animations when you show it to your colleagues or the audience, but you don’t want them to edit the file, then you can convert the presentation to a video format.

This will allow you to retain the animations, and make the presentation uneditable.

Converting a PowerPoint to a video requires you to use the “ Save As ” function. However, there are a few additional things that you may need to keep in mind.

Check out our article on how to convert PowerPoint to Video for a full guide with helpful tips.

2. How to Password Protect a PowerPoint Presentation from Opening? 

You can set a password that users will have to enter before they can access your PowerPoint presentation.

The process to password protect a PowerPoint presentation is elaborately explained in method 4 of the previous section of this article. Simply follow the steps explained in the earlier section and you will be able to add a password to your PowerPoint file.

3. How to Remove Password from a PowerPoint Presentation? 

The process of removing the password from a PowerPoint file is quite straightforward. However, it is important to know the password in order to change or remove the password protection in PowerPoint.

Let’s take a look at how to remove a password from a protected PowerPoint presentation –

3a. If You Know the Password

If you remember the password to your PowerPoint presentation, open the PowerPoint file, go to the “ Encrypt Presentation ” option in the “Info” section of the “ File ” tab and follow the steps given below.

Step-1: Open the “Encrypt Password” option

The first step is to click on the “ File ” tab. Then, from the backend view, click on the “ Info ” option.

Next, click on the “ Protect Presentation ” option, and from the dropdown, select the “ Encrypt with Password ” option.

Step-2: Clear the Password from the box

Once you’ve clicked on the “ Encrypt Presentation ” option, clear the password from the “ Password ” box.

After you’ve cleared the password, simply hit the “ OK ” button, located at the bottom right corner of the pop-up window and the password will be removed immediately.

3b. If You Forget the Password

Unfortunately, there is no direct way of removing a password from your PowerPoint file.

To do this, you will have to use third-party software that will unlock the encrypted PowerPoint file for you.

The software that we would recommend is “iSunshare” . It is free to use, and you will be able to unlock more than just PPT files. To download the software from their website, click here .

Credit to cookie_studio (on Freepik) for the featured image of this article (further edited).

How to Edit a Protected PowerPoint Presentation

PowerPoint has established itself as one of the most used tools in the field of professional presentations. However, on many occasions we encounter protected presentations, which limits our ability to modify their content. In this article, we will explore the key steps to edit a protected PowerPoint presentation and unlock imposed restrictions. We will learn essential technical techniques and procedures to overcome access barriers and achieve a successful edition. If you've ever faced the frustration of wanting to modify a protected presentation and not knowing how to do it, this article will guide you through the PowerPoint editing process, giving you the tools necessary to unlock and customize the protected data and content. Read on to discover how to gain full control over your protected PowerPoint presentations and get the creative freedom you need.

1. Understanding Protected PowerPoint Presentations

Secured PowerPoint presentations are a common way to ensure the privacy and confidentiality of information. However, it can be frustrating when you need to access a protected presentation and you don't have the password. Fortunately, there are several methods you can use to understand and unlock these presentations. Below we present some simple steps to help you solve this problem .

• 1. Use an unlock tool: A useful option is to use a PowerPoint unlock tool designed specifically for this purpose. These tools are available online and can unlock protected presentations by removing the password.
• 2. Try common passwords: If you don't want to use an unlocking tool, you can try to guess the password using some common passwords that people often use. These include combinations such as "123456", "password" or the name of the company or individual.
• 3. Contact technical support: If none of the above methods work, you can always contact PowerPoint technical support. The support team can help you unlock the protected presentation or provide other workarounds.

In short, understanding and unlocking protected PowerPoint presentations may seem like a challenge, but there are different options available to solve it. You can use an unlocking tool, try common passwords, or seek help from technical support. Always remember to respect the privacy and confidentiality of protected information.

2. Identifying a Protected PowerPoint Presentation

If you've ever received or downloaded a password-protected PowerPoint presentation and need to access its content, you're in the right place. Here we will provide you with a guide Step by Step to identify and resolve this problem.

There are different methods to identify a protected PowerPoint presentation. One of the most common is trying to open the file and receiving an error message indicating protection or the need for a password. You may also see a lock next to the file name in the file explorer .

To unlock a protected PowerPoint presentation, you can use different techniques. One option is to use specialized PowerPoint password removal software. These tools can perform a brute force attack or use password dictionaries to try to unlock the file. Another option is to try opening the presentation in an older version of PowerPoint, as some older versions may not have protection applied. If you have access to the correct password, simply enter it when prompted to unlock the presentation.

3. Steps to unlock a protected presentation

Follow these and have full access to the content:

Step 1: Identify the type of protection

Before unlocking the presentation, it is important to identify the type of protection you have. Some presentations may be password protected, while others may have access or editing restrictions. This will help you determine the right approach to unlocking it.

Step 2: Try standard passwords

If your presentation is password protected, try entering common standard passwords, such as "123456," "password," or "admin." These are basic options that are often used and may work in some cases. If that doesn't work, you can try remembering any passwords you used earlier in the presentation.

Step 3: Use an unlock tool

If you can't unlock the presentation using standard passwords or don't remember the correct password, there are unlocking tools available online. These tools use advanced methods to remove presentation protection and give you full access. Make sure you use a trusted tool and follow the instructions provided by the provider.

4. Modify the content of a protected presentation

If you have ever received a protected presentation and need to make changes to its content, don't worry, there are solutions available for this problem. Next, we will show you how simply and efficiently.

1. Use unlocking tools: There are several online tools that allow you to unlock protected presentations. These tools work by removing protection restrictions and allow you to edit the content without any problem. Some of these tools are easy to use and only require you to upload the protected presentation and follow the steps.

2. Convert to another format: Another option is to convert the protected presentation to another format before making the desired modifications. For example, you can convert the file to PDF and then use online conversion tools to convert the PDF back to an editable presentation. This process can be useful if the unlocking tools are not working or are not available.

3. Request the password from the author: If the author of the protected presentation is available and accessible, you can try to request the password to unlock it. Authors often protect their submissions to prevent unauthorized modifications, but if you have a valid reason and get the author's consent, this may be the quickest and safest solution.

Always remember to respect the Copyright and use these solutions ethically and responsibly.

5. Remove editing restrictions in PowerPoint

• To do so, you must follow the following steps:
• 1. Open the PowerPoint file you want to edit and go to the "File" tab.
• 2. Click “Protect Presentation” and select “Mark as Final.” This will disable editing restrictions.
• 3. If the file has a password set, it will ask you to enter it before disabling restrictions.
• Once you have completed these steps, you will be able to freely edit the PowerPoint file without any restrictions.

Another option is to use an external tool called "Unlocker". This tool allows you to unlock PowerPoint files that are password protected or have editing restrictions. You just have to download and install the tool, then select the PowerPoint file you want to unlock and click “Unlock”. Once the process is complete, you will be able to edit the file without any problems.

It is important to keep in mind that anyone can make changes to the file. Therefore, it is recommended to use this option with caution and ensure that the file is only edited by trusted users. Additionally, some restrictions may not be able to be removed due to additional security settings or copyright protection set on the file. In these cases, you may need to get permission from the file owner to make changes.

6. Edit a password-protected presentation

If you have a password-protected PowerPoint presentation and need to make changes to it, don't worry, we have the solution for you! Next, we will explain to you step by step how.

1. Open Microsoft PowerPoint and click on the “File” tab in the upper left corner from the screen . Next, select “Open” and find the password-protected presentation on your computer.

2. You will be asked to enter the presentation password. Enter the correct password and click "OK." If you don't remember the password, unfortunately you won't be able to edit the presentation without it. Make sure you have stored it in a safe place in the past.

7. Using external tools to edit a protected presentation

Editing a protected presentation can be a challenge, but with the use of the right external tools, changes and adjustments can be made without problems. Here are some popular tools you can use:

1. PDF Unlockers: The PDF files Password protected files can be unlocked using free online tools, such as SmallPDF or PDF Unlocker. These tools will allow you to remove editing and copying restrictions from the PDF file protected, allowing you to make changes to the slides in your presentation.

2. PDF to PowerPoint Converters: If you have a PDF presentation that you want to edit, but you don't have access to the original PowerPoint file, you can use online tools like Adobe Acrobat o SmallPDF to convert the PDF file to PowerPoint. Once converted, you can edit the PowerPoint presentation as you wish, including changes to the design, content, and formatting.

3. Presentation Unlocking Software: There are different softwares in the market designed to unlock protected presentations, such as PowerPoint Password Recovery or PowerPoint Protection Remover. These tools allow you to remove the password from a protected presentation and thus access all its editing features. Remember that it is important to use these software responsibly and only in cases where you have authorization to edit the protected content.

In conclusion, editing a protected PowerPoint presentation may seem like a challenging task at first, but with the right steps and the right tools, it is totally possible. By following the unprotection process explained above, you can access and make modifications to protected PowerPoint presentations without any problems.

Always remember to keep in mind that it is important to respect copyright and intellectual property rights when using any protected presentation. Also, keep in mind that these steps are only for those users who have legitimate permission to edit the presentation.

Protecting PowerPoint presentations is a useful security measure to protect your work and prevent unauthorized modifications. However, if you need to make changes to a protected presentation, you now have the knowledge and tools to do so.

Whether you need to remove a password, unlock editing elements, or make specific adjustments, we've covered the fundamentals of how to technically edit a protected PowerPoint presentation.

Always remember to follow security guidelines and best practices when working with protected documents. We hope you found this guide useful and allow you to get the most out of your protected PowerPoint presentations. Now you're ready to edit and customize your protected presentations! efficiently and safe!

You may also be interested in this related content:

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I am Sebastián Vidal, a computer engineer passionate about technology and DIY. Additionally, I am the creator of tecnobits.com, where I share tutorials to make technology more accessible and understandable for everyone.

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• How to Protect PowerPoint Presentation from Editing and Modifying

Updated: January 11, 2024

If you don't want others to open and modify your PowerPoint presentation, you can lock the presentation. Here, this guide will introduce several ways to protect a presentation file from being copied, edited, and changed by unauthorized others.

• Option 1: Marking as final
• Option 2: Restrict Access
• Option 3: Encrypt with Password

Option 1: Make the presentation read-only

If you want to let people know that a presentation shouldn't be changed, you can use the Mark as Final feature. When a presentation is marked as final, typing, editing, commands, and proofing marks are disabled or turned off and the presentation becomes read-only .

Step 1: Click the  File  tab to go to Backstage view.

Step 2: From the  Info  pane, click the  Protect Presentation  command.

Step 3: In the drop-down menu, choose the option that best suits your needs. select  Mark as Final .

Step 4: A dialog box will appear prompting you to save, click  OK .

Step 5: Another dialog box will appear, click  OK .

When you mark a presentation as final, PowerPoint asks you to save the file. The next time you open it, you will see a yellow  MARKED AS FINAL  message at the top of the file. If you click  Edit Anyway , the presentation will no longer be marked as final.

Option 2: Set Restrict Access to Prevent Others from Editing

If you want to prevent people from editing it, you can use the  Restrict Access  option:

Step 1: Click on File tab to go to Backstage view.

Step 2: In Info tab, click Protect Document button. And then select Restrict Access option.

Option 3: Set a Password for Modify Presentation

To protect PowerPoint 2010/2013/2016 presentation, use these steps as follows:

Step 1: Click on the File tab, choose Save As option. Select one location you will save this *.pptx file.

Step 2: In the  Save As  dialog, click the  Tools  button at the bottom and then select  General Options .

Step 3: Type a password in the  Password to modify  box and click  OK . Reenter the password to modify and click  OK  to confirm. When you return back to the  Save As  dialog, click  Save  to save this presentation.

Then the password to modify will lock this PowerPoint 2016 presentation and prevent it from being edited or modified. Keep your password in a safe place. If you lose or forget the password, Microsoft won't help recover it and you have to remove the password with a third-party utility like PowerPoint Protection Refixer .

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How to Unlock Password Protected PowerPoint Presentation

Microsoft provides several options to protect PowerPoint presentation, such as "Mark as File" and "Encrypt with Password". The options can make presentation read-only and even lock PowerPoint document.

When you face the problems about presentation locked or read-only, how to unlock password protected PowerPoint presentation ? Follow introductions below please.

• Part 1: Unlock PPT presentation protected with modify password
• Part 2: Unlock PPT presentation protected with open password

Part 1: Unlock PowerPoint Presentation Protected with Modify Password

Microsoft PowerPoint's Mark as Final feature could make your business presentations read-only and prevent accidental changes.

1. Open the read-only PowerPoint presentation with Microsoft PowerPoint.

2. Click File Info from the left pane.

3. Click Protect Presentation and select "Mark as Final" option.

If the presentation was read-only, it will now be editable, and if it was not protected before, the Mark as Final option is enabled and your presentation is read-only now.

4. Press Control + S to save the presentation without password protection.

Now PowerPoint presentation has been unlocked.

Part 2: Unlock PowerPoint Presentation Protected with Open Password

If you have no password to unlock password protected PowerPoint presentation , I think the easiest and most effective way is to use powerpoint password recovery software, such as PowerPoint Password Genius or Office Password Genius Professional for PowerPoint presentation.

Tips: If you want to try faster unlocking PPTX presentation, Office Password Genius Professional or Office Password Genius Advanced will be better.

Now please see the animation about how it helps to unlock PowerPoint document locked with password .

How to unlock PowerPoint document are shown in above animation. About more detailed information, please follow introductions below.

Step 1: Download and setup iSunshare PowerPoint Password Genius on computer.

Step 2: Click Open button to add password protected PowerPoint presentation into Encrypted File box.

Step 3: Choose an appropriate password recovery type from Type of recovery , Brute-force/Mask/Dictionary/Smart.

Step 4: Set different options for selected password recovery to recover PowerPoint presentation password fast.

Refer to: Brute-force/Mask/Dictionary Password Recovery Settings

Step 5: Start to find password protected PowerPoint presentation open password.

Step 6: Copy recovered password in new window and unlock PowerPoint presentation with it.

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How-To Geek

Can i stop people from editing my powerpoint presentation.

Your options depend on your version of Office, but you can at least make editing more difficult.

Quick Links

Use the restrict access feature (business and enterprise only), make your presentation read-only or mark it as final, password protect your presentation, save your presentation as an image.

To preserve the integrity of your PowerPoint presentation, you may want to try to prevent others from editing it. Depending on the Office version you have, there are a few things you can do to block editing, or at least make it more difficult.

You can use the Restrict Access feature to protect your PPTX file from edits, but this feature is only available for Microsoft 365 for Business or Enterprise , and the feature must be enabled by your organization's administrator in the Microsoft 365 admin panel . That means if you're using any version below Microsoft 365 for Business, such as Home or Family, then you won't have this feature.

Related: How to Find Out Which Version of Microsoft Office You're Using (and Whether it's 32-bit or 64-bit)

If you are subscribed to a version that supports this feature, and if the admin of your organization has enabled it, you can locate "Restrict Access" under File > Info > Protect Presentation.

You can then set the restriction types and file access expiration dates.

Visit Microsoft's official doc site to learn more about Information Rights Management and how to use this feature.

Making your presentation read-only or marking it as final doesn't actually make your presentation un-editable. What this does is discourage others from making edits. It's also good for preventing accidental edits, as it makes you opt-in before you're able to make any changes to the content.

Related: How to Make a Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation Read-only

To make your presentation read-only, or to mark it as final, open your PPTX file and click the "File" tab.

Next, click "Info" in the left-hand pane.

Now, in the Protect Presentation group, click "Protect Presentation."

Once selected, a drop-down menu will appear. You can choose between these two options to make your presentation read-only:

• Always Open Read-Only:  This asks the reader to opt-in to edit the presentation, which prevents accidental edits.
• Mark as Final:  This lets the reader know that this is the final version of the presentation.

Selecting either option will prevent the reader from editing the presentation---unless they opt-in to do so by clicking the "Edit Anyway" button in the banner.

While making your presentation read-only serves a purpose, it's a weak form of protection if you want to truly keep others from editing your content.

Related: How to Unlock Read-Only PowerPoint Presentations

PowerPoint has an option that lets you encrypt your presentation and only those with the password can access it. Again, this doesn't fully protect the content within the presentation, but if only those with the password have access, the chances of the presentation being edited are certainly lower.

This password isn't stored anywhere on your local machine. Be sure to store the password somewhere safe. If you forget or lose your password, you won't be able to access the presentation again.

To password protect your presentation, open PowerPoint, click the "File" tab, click "Info" in the left-hand pane, and then click the "Protect Presentation" option.

Next, click "Encrypt with Password" from the menu that appears.

The Encrypt Document window will appear. Enter your password in the Password text box and then click "OK."

Reenter the password and then click "OK" again.

Now anyone who tries to open the presentation will need the password to access it.

This method is more secure than simply making your presentation read-only. However, you're merely preventing people from opening the PPTX file. If they have the password, then they can also edit the presentation's content. Be careful who you share the password with. If you're worried the password may have been exposed , change the password immediately.

Related: How to Check if Your Password Has Been Stolen

If you want to deliver your PPTX file to someone, but don't want them to be able to copy or edit the content (easily, at least), then you can convert the PowerPoint presentation to an image file and send it that way.

Open the PowerPoint presentation, click "File," and then click "Save As" in the left-hand pane.

Browse to the location you would like to save the file and then, in the "Save As" box, choose the image file type you would like to save the presentation as. You can choose between:

• Animated GIF Format  (*.gif)
• JPEG File Interchange Format (*.jpg)
• PNG Portable Network Graphics Format (*.png)
• TIFF Tag Image File Format (*.tif)
• Scalable Vector Graphics Format (*.svg)

Related: What's the Difference Between JPG, PNG, and GIF?

Once you save the presentation as an image, you can send it out to the desired recipients.

At the end of the day, there's no solid way to 100% protect your presentation. You can kindly ask recipients not to edit the content, password-protect your presentation so only those you want to have access to it can access it, or convert your presentation to an image or PDF , but even with these measures, if someone wants to edit something, they can always find a way.

Related: How to Save Microsoft PowerPoint Presentations as PDF Files

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How to protect / lock a PowerPoint presentation?

• September 28, 2020

Unless you protect your PowerPoint document, anyone with access to the .pptx file can open, copy and edit the contents. Here's a guide to how you can protect/ lock your PowerPoint presentations.

This post is part of our hints and tips for standard PowerPoint features.  PPT Productivity is a time saving add-in for PowerPoint.  If you’d like to boost your productivity in PowerPoint and save time aligning, formatting and reusing slides, visit our homepage and download the PPT Productivity free trial today!

To protect your document, go to the file tab in PowerPoint, select Info, then click ‘Protect Presentation’

In the drop-down menu, you will find 4 or 5 options for protecting presentations in PowerPoint (options available depend on which version of PowerPoint you are running): ‘Always Open Read-Only’, ‘Encrypt with Password’, ‘Restrict Access’, ‘Add a Digital Signature’, ‘Mark as Final’.

Note - This article is about general locking of a PowerPoint presentation. However if you want to lock specific shapes on your PowerPoint slide from being edited – visit PPT Productivity's website to learn more about the PPT Productivity shape locking tool for PowerPoint .

Choose which option best suits your needs:

Always Open Read-Only PowerPoint setting prevents accidental changes by displaying a yellow banner at the top of the PowerPoint presentation indicating that the presentation is read only. The reader will need to opt-in to editing the document by clicking the ‘Edit Anyway’ button

Encrypt with Password PowerPoint setting lets you password protect your PowerPoint presentation. A password will be required to open the document. It’s very important to note that if you forget the password, you will not be able to open the presentation.

If your organization uses Microsoft 365, you also have a Restrict Access option in PowerPoint. The Restrict Access option allows people to view the PowerPoint presentation, but prevents them from editing, copying, or printing. To use the Restrict Access option, you need to have Information Rights Access set up on your machine. Find more information about Information Rights Access .

A digital signature adds unique code to a message which only comes from the digital ID held by the true sender. If you choose Add a Digital Signature in PowerPoint, you will need to have a Digital Signature set up.  For more information about Digital Signatures visit the Microsoft Support Page .

Mark as Final PowerPoint setting sets the PowerPoint presentation status to Final. Typing, editing commands and proofing marks are turned off. A yellow banner noting that the document has been marked as final will appear at the top of the presentation. Readers will still be able to Edit the document if they click on the ‘Edit Anyway’ button.

Once you have decided which option is best for your needs, select the relevant option and save your document. Done!

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How to Unlock a Read Only PowerPoint Presentation (in 4 Steps)

Last Updated: December 29, 2021

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA . Darlene Antonelli is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Darlene has experience teaching college courses, writing technology-related articles, and working hands-on in the technology field. She earned an MA in Writing from Rowan University in 2012 and wrote her thesis on online communities and the personalities curated in such communities. This article has been viewed 19,604 times. Learn more...

If you see text in a banner that warns you the file is read-only, the original author marked it as final and discourages editing. This wikiHow will teach you how to unlock a read-only PowerPoint manually. Otherwise, you can click Edit Anyway within the banner.

• A menu will drop down from the lock icon.

• The "Read-Only" text is gone from the title and the yellow banner will disappear, which means you can edit the PowerPoint. [1] X Research source
• To return the file to read-only, repeat the process to select "Mark as Final."

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

• ↑ https://www.howtogeek.com/437502/how-to-unlock-read-only-powerpoint-presentations/

About This Article

1. Open the PowerPoint project. 2. Click the File tab. 3. Click Protect Presentation. 4. Click Mark as Final . Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How do I lock a PowerPoint presentation from editing?

January 6, 2023 /

To lock a PowerPoint presentation from editing, you can use the “Mark as Final” feature. Here’s how:

• Open the PowerPoint presentation that you want to lock.
• Click the “File” tab in the ribbon.
• Click “Info” in the left sidebar.
• Click the “Protect Presentation” button, and then select “Mark as Final” from the dropdown menu.
• Click “OK” in the pop-up window to confirm.

When a presentation is marked as final, users will be able to view it, but they will not be able to make any changes to the content. A message will be displayed at the top of the presentation warning users that the document is final and should not be edited.

Note: If you need to make changes to the presentation after it has been marked as final, you can click the “Edit Anyway” button in the warning message to edit the document. However, this will remove the “Mark as Final” protection, and the document will no longer be marked as final.

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How to Lock a PowerPoint from Editing?

Learn how to secure your PowerPoint presentations with step-by-step instructions on locking them from editing. Keep your content protected!

Sanskar Tiwari

How to Lock a PowerPoint from Editing

Open powerpoint, open the presentation.

Select File > Info

Select Protect Presentation

Set Restricted Access

Make Changes if Needed

FAQs about Locking PowerPoint Presentations

Can i change permissions after i've locked the presentation, how do i give full control permission to a specific user, can i restrict access to specific sections of my presentation, can users with read access still view my notes and comments, is there a way to remove access restrictions later, related blogs, how to download google forms, how to add answer key to google forms, how to rotate google slides, how to change the slide size in google slides, how to share google forms responses, how to do ranked choice voting in google forms, how to add columns in google slides, how to turn powerpoint slides into google slides, how to make an answer correct on google forms, stunning presentations in seconds with ai.

Install MagicSlides app now and start creating beautiful presentations. It's free!

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Protect PowerPoint Presentation

How to protect a powerpoint being copied, restrict access & lock editing.

• Stop unauthorized access
• Stop sharing and distribution
• Strong US Gov strength encryption, DRM and licensing controls

• Stop editing, copying and screen grabs
• Stop printing or control the number of prints
• Lock PDF files to devices and locations

• on a fixed date
• after a number of days use
• after a number of views and/or prints

• revoke a document for all users instantly
• revoke individual user access to single, multiple, or all documents
• revoke access automatically after a number of views and/or prints

You only have to protect a document once in order to customize it for multiple users.

• track and log document views
• track and log document prints
• see what devices & operating systems users are using

• Ensure only authorized parties can view confidential documents
• Enforce document retention policies with automatic expiry
• Log use for proof of when documents are viewed and printed

• Protect revenue and increase ROI – reduce losses and costs
• Take control over your IPR, prevent document leakage & theft
• No cost per document or user – one fixed price for unlimited use

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“Simple & secure – protects IPR from theft”

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Protect powerpoint slides: restrict access, prevent editing & copying, add expiration.

  How can I protect PowerPoint presentations?

So, you have invested hundreds of hours into creating your PowerPoint presentations, and now you realize you need to protect them.  Though they are often overlooked, PowerPoint presentations carry plenty of information that could harm a business.  Anything from revenue figures to acquisition prospects or client details may be presented at one point or another.

After the meeting concludes, the ppt or pptx file is often shared unprotected with the participants to recap, leading to their inevitable leak.  Training companies that sell PowerPoint presentations as part of course materials also need to prevent them from being copied and shared with users that have not purchased them, or from being edited and sold on.

Below are the security options available to protect presentation slides (.pptx files) so you can prevent them from being shared, copied and edited.

  Are PowerPoints subject to copyright protection?

You have probably wondered ‘Does copyright protect powerpoint diagrams?’.  Just as with any media, you have an inherent right to control the distribution of content inside your PowerPoint presentation (provided it was created by you).  This extends to images, text, video, etc.  However, legally holding the rights to a work does very little to prevent it from being copied and distributed without your permission.  You can add a copyright symbol and disclaimer to your PowerPoint slides, but it’s likely it’ll just be ignored and can be easily removed.  If copyright notices were an effective way of preventing unauthorized distribution, piracy would be virtually non-existent.

In other words, it’s down to you to enforce your copyright by using the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) and lawyers.  You could take somebody to court every time they infringe your copyright, but that would be costly, time-consuming, and wouldn’t erase the harm they’d already done.  It’s better to take measures to stop them from being able to do so in the first place.

  Password protect PowerPoint

Applying passwords to protect PowerPoint files (PPT, PPTX, PPS, PPPX)  is the cheapest solution for PowerPoint Security (it is free with PowerPoint) but also the least secure.

There are two types of passwords that can be used to password protect PowerPoint files:

• the open password which is used to restrict access
• the modify password which is used to restrict editing

Both have major weaknesses:

• The open password can be cracked (if unknown), or shared or removed (if known).
• The modify password is very easy to remove as it does not utilize encryption.  It’s primarily intended to stop accidental editing rather than unauthorized editing.  Once a user can edit a PowerPoint they have full control over it and can remove watermarks and copyright notices.

Here’s how easy it is to remove password protection in PowerPoint:

  How to open a password-protected PowerPoint file

   How to edit a protected PowerPoint presentation

It is really easy to remove edit restrictions in PowerPoint.  Users can:

• copy and paste content to another presentation
• save or print to PDF and then convert back to PPTX format
• screenshot to bypass the restrictions

• https://passper.imyfone.com/powerpoint-password-recovery/
• https://www.elcomsoft.com/aopr.html
• https://www.isumsoft.com/powerpoint-protection-refixer/

How to password protect a PowerPoint presentation & restrict opening

If you want to add an open/viewing password to your document despite the flaws mentioned above, this is how you do it:

  How to password protect a PowerPoint presentation & restrict editing

If you’d like to lock a PowerPoint from editing with a password despite its drawbacks (perhaps you just want to stop accidental editing) here’s how:

You will see that even Microsoft warns you that an editing password is not a secure feature and will not stop malicious users from editing or copying the document.  Though it does restrict editing in PowerPoint, it only does so on a surface level.  Users can easily remove the editing protecting using the techniques outlined above.

  Lock a PowerPoint from editing by converting it to images

Before we move on to other protection solutions, it’s worth quickly clarifying claims that saving your PowerPoint presentation as images will permanently prevent editing.

You can’t easily edit or copy text from an image, right?  Well, that’s not quite true.  Optical character recognition tools can take the images and turn them right back into an editable PowerPoint file again.

  PowerPoint read only mode & preventing editing

PowerPoint’s read-only mode lets you restrict editing without the use of a password.  It does so by displaying a warning message when users try to edit text or images.

If you want to save or make a PowerPoint read only or lock PowerPoint from editing, then you need to save it as a PDF and protect it with Locklizard Safeguard.

• Recipients need to have purchased the full version of PowerPoint to view your protected presentations (the free PowerPoint Viewer does not support IRM).  This is not ideal if you work with freelancers or external parties.
• You have to specify who the recipients are when you protect the PowerPoint presentation file.  This makes it very inconvenient if you want other users to access this at a later date (you will have to protect it all over again).  Clearly, this is a system designed purely for internal use and requires you to know from the start ALL the users that will ever want to access this presentation.
• Access controls are unhelpful.  You either give users read access (no permission to modify, copy print), change access (modify, copy, but no print), or full control (same rights as the author – can modify, print, set expiry).  So, if you want users to be able to print your PowerPoint Presentations you have to let them copy, edit, modify, and change expiry too.  Far from ideal from a security standpoint.
• The system does not prevent third-party screen grabbers from taking screenshots of your PowerPoint slides.
• Links to external sources (MP3/MP4 files, etc.) are not protected, so your video and audio is available for everyone to copy and share.

In conclusion, using Microsoft IRM for PowerPoint Security is only helpful in limited situations, and it does not completely protect PowerPoint presentations.  Even Azure information protection restrictions can be bypassed if a user has been given view access.

Once your PowerPoint presentation has been converted to a PDF file, you can secure it using Safeguard PDF Security.

Safeguard PDF Security protects PowerPoint presentations from unauthorized:

• screen grabbing

Safeguard PDF Security automatically locks PowerPoint slides to authorized devices so they cannot be shared.  You restrict who can access your protected PowerPoint slides, the amount of time they can be viewed, and whether they can be printed.  And if you decide that you no longer want users to be able to view them, then you can instantly revoke access.

You choose:

• when your presentations expire (if at all) – number of views, days, prints, or fixed date
• whether they can be printed – deny or allow printing or limit the number of prints
• if they should be revoked – revoke presentations anytime regardless of where they are located
• whether content should be watermarked at view/print time dynamically with personal user identifying information

And with  Safeguard Enterprise PDF DRM  you can:

• control the locations users can view your PowerPoint presentations (country & IP location) to ensure confidential material can only be viewed from, say, the office
• track and log when slides are viewed and printed

Though it is tempting to use something like Adobe Acrobat or Foxit PDF password protection , these have the exact same problem as PowerPoint password protection – the modify permissions are easily removed and the document open protection  does not prevent unauthorized sharing.

  How to save a PowerPoint presentation as a secure PDF

The process of locking a PowerPoint presentation file to prevent it from being copied/edited is a two-step one: save to PDF, followed by protection in Safeguard Secure PDF Writer.

How to convert a Powerpoint to PDF

Note that converting a PowerPoint to a PDF will naturally remove its functionality as an interactive presentation.

How to lock a PowerPoint from editing and copying with Locklizard Safeguard

Once you have converted your PowerPoint to PDF, protecting it with Safeguard is a simple matter:

Creating a protected presentation

Encrypting a PowerPoint without passwords using Safeguard PDF DRM

Safeguard Admin System

• Distribute your protected PDF however you like, or see how to share a PDF document as a link for instructions on sharing via cloud storage.

For a more detailed guide see  how to add security to a PDF or check our blog on how to lock a Word doc , which has many parallels to PowerPoint security.

The strength of your watermarks depends on the strength of your copy protection and editing restrictions.  If your editing restrictions are easily removed then so is your watermark – the user can just delete the watermark in PowerPoint.  As we’ve already covered, PowerPoint’s editing restrictions are useless, so PowerPoint watermarks are too.

You can see how to add or insert a watermark in PowerPoint here which also explains just how easy it is for users to remove them.

  How can you set expiration in PowerPoint?

It is not possible to set a PowerPoint to expire without the help of third-party applications or IRM services.  Though there is an add-in called PPTExpire, it has been in development for years and is yet to release to the public.  Plugins of this sort also typically pose a security risk and do not work as advertised.

One option is to upload your PowerPoint to OneDrive and share a link with an expiration date.  However, this will give you far less protection than you anticipate.  Browsers are unable to effectively enforce anti-copying controls because they just do not have enough control over the operating system.

  How to set a PowerPoint to expire with Safeguard Security

In Safeguard Secure PDF Writer, choose the expiry options you want to apply:

• Expiration Date – expires on the date that you select here.
• After n days from first use – expires a number of days after it is first opened.
• Views – expires after it has been viewed n times.
• Prints – expires after it has been printed n times.

Expiry days, views, and prints are allocated on a user basis – so the same file can expire at different times for individual users.

Once you have chosen your PowerPoint expiration date options, press the Publish button.

Locklizard uses US government-strength AES encryption, public key technology, Digital Rights Management, and licensing controls to ensure your presentations remain protected regardless of their location.  If you want to make or save a PowerPoint as read only then only DRM protection can achieve this.

See our  customer testimonials  or read our  case studies  to see why thousands of organizations use Locklizard PDF security to protect, share and sell their documents securely.

Protecting Microsoft Office files

Looking to protect other MS-Office files to restrict access, copying, editing, printing and sharing?

Can PowerPoints be encrypted?

Most document formats can be encrypted, including PowerPoints.  If you password protect PowerPoint files it will encrypt them using AES encryption.

However, it’s important to be aware of the strength of the encryption and encryption mechanism .  Password-based encryption is inherently less secure, because it takes (for example) a random, 256-bit encryption key and links it to a short, human-chosen, and often insecure string of characters.  Microsoft state that “You cannot enable a strong encryption file by using password protection.”

How do I password protect PowerPoint files?

• Select File > Info.
• Select Protect Presentation > Encrypt with Password.
• In the Password field, enter the password and press OK.
• Re-enter the password to confirm it.
• Save the PPT / PPTX file so that the password takes effect.

Is there a way to encrypt PowerPoint slides?

Though you can’t encrypt individual slides within a larger PowerPoint presentation or Show, you can export those slides as a PDF and use a PDF DRM solution to encrypt them.  This has the additional advantage of not relying on password security.

Does Locklizard use asymmetric or symmetric encryption to protect Powerpoint slides?

We use both.  RSA asymmetric encryption for key exchange and AES 256 bit symmetric encryption for file encryption.

What is PowerPoint protected view or protected mode?

Protected view or protected mode is a read-only mode that is automatically applied to MS Office file types when the file has potentially come from an unsafe location.  It is used to protect users from viruses and other malicious code from being executed rather than a copy protection feature to restrict editing or make a PowerPoint read only.  It is not the same as creating a read-only file that cannot be edited.

Why can’t you bypass a password-locked PowerPoint document without brute force?

PowerPoint uses 256-bit AES to encrypt the entire pptx document or ppt files.  This form of encryption would take current computers millions of years to break, and Microsoft’s implementation does not have any known shortcuts or vulnerabilities.

However, to say that you can’t bypass the document without brute force is not true.  As a password is used to unlock the document, any of the traditional password attack methods can be utilized.  This includes obtaining it from a party who already knows it through social engineering, phishing, etc.

How do I protect a PowerPoint from being changed or make it read only?

Convert it to a PDF, then encrypt it and apply editing controls with a PDF DRM solution to make it read only.  The same applies if you want to copyright protect a pptx file to read only or make a ppt uneditable permanently.

PowerPoint’s editing protection is easily bypassed, protected view mode can be turned off, and converting to images doesn’t work either as they can be run through an OCR recognition tool.

How do I protect a PowerPoint presentation from being copied?

Unauthorized copying is all but impossible to prevent.  Instead, you need to:

• Make any copied file useless (inaccessible without a requisite license file)
• Lock the presentation to a device so it cannot be shared
• Restrict editing, copy and paste, screenshots and printing
• Add watermarks that identify users should they share a printed or photographed copy

Locklizard Safeguard DRM can achieve all of these goals, stopping users from making a copy of your presentation and protecting your important files and intellectual property.

How do I remove encryption from a PowerPoint presentation?

It depends on the method of encryption.  If you applied PowerPoint password encryption (used to password protect PowerPoint files), you’ll need to either obtain and enter the password or brute force it.  Documents encrypted with Locklizard Safeguard do not use passwords, and therefore encryption cannot be removed.  The only way to obtain an unencrypted version of the document is to ask the creator for it.

Does adding a digital signature make a PowerPoint file more secure?

A digital signature is an invisible signature used for authentication purposes.  It differs from an electronic signature (a visible image of your written signature) but can be used in conjunction with it.  A digital signature is an encrypted stamp of authentication and is created by using a signing certificate, which if issued by a reputable Certificate Authority, proves identity.

Adding a digital signature to a PowerPoint presentation confirms that the information originated from the signer and has not been altered.  Recipients need your certificate and public key to verify the signature.  So, if users remove editing restrictions from a PowerPoint presentation and alter it after it has been digitally signed then you will be alerted to this.

How do you share a PowerPoint securely?

First of all, by avoiding OneDrive and other cloud sharing services.  Browser security is too easily to manipulate and bypass, not to mention the freely available download button Microsoft provides.  So if it is your responsibility to protect PowerPoint presentations from being shared then you need to look at more secure alternatives.

The most secure way to share PowerPoint files is to save them as a PDF, protect them with Safeguard DRM, and then send the encrypted .pdc file to the recipient or distribute it by other means.  This is also the most secure way to share PowerPoint files online.  While one might be tempted to use Azure information protection (RMS) or Adobe Document Cloud security , they both have multiple security issues, are complex to setup / maintain, and costly.

If I use a password to protect PowerPoint files will it restrict access?

You can use a password to restrict access to PowerPoint files.  However, bear in mind that if you want to share a PowerPoint securely, then anyone you give the password to can share it with others or just remove it.  If you therefore use a password to protect PowerPoint files, you have no control over who can access your PowerPoint presentations or slides.

Does Locklizard provide Digital Rights Management for PPT and PPTX files?

PPT and PPTX files have to be saved to PDF format before they can be protected with Locklizard DRM.

How to save a PowerPoint as a secure PDF?

• Within PowerPoint, save the PowerPoint deck or presentation to a PDF (File menu > Save As > Save as type: PDF).
• While you can password protect a PDF the restrictions or permissions are so easy for users to remove they are not worth adding to begin with.
• If you want to secure the PDF and prevent sharing, stop copying, restrict editing, block printing, set expiration and enforce watermarks, then use Locklizard Safeguard to protect it.

Customer Testimonials

We needed to deliver e-book versions of our handbooks while not compromising on security and digital rights.  Safeguard PDF security is easy to use and intuitive. The implementation was painless and we now have a greener, more secure way of distributing training manuals.

Locklizard’s PDF protection is exactly as described – the features are highly effective and I would give it 5 stars. I would recommend Locklizard to others - their security is simple to use and fit for purpose.  It meets common needs of businesses who have information they want to protect.

We would be happy to recommend Locklizard to any company needing a flexible way to secure PDF files. Safeguard PDF Security has provided us with a very workable solution for sharing of information in a secure fashion.  The support has been excellent and very accommodating.

We can cut accounts for a user five minutes before his class starts and he is ready to go. Happy smiling customer, while we still have security and personalized watermarking. I have immense respect for the product and Locklizard provide great customer satisfaction and service.

We would recommend Safeguard to other companies for its security, cost and ease of use. It does what we expected it to do and more. Ease of use is a bonus and the implementation was very easy.  The product manual is excellent and Locklizard staff are very accommodating.

We sell a highly valued educational product in an open and competitive market so it was important to ensure we had effective security to protect our digital rights. We highly recommend Locklizard - a professional company with a competitive and professional PDF Security product.

We would absolutely recommend both Locklizard as a company, and Safeguard PDF Security.  It has transformed our study materials to the next level. Not only did this increase sales, but we also believe that it has increased our customers’ ability to learn, which is even more important!

We would recommend Locklizard Safeguard to other companies that need to protect PDF reports.  Customers have found the process of accessing the protected documents to be seamless. Implementation was easy and technical support has been very responsive to requests for help.

Our company would without reservation recommend Locklizard.  Their document DRM software opens up delivery of our new products in a timely fashion while knowing that the content will remain secure. The return on investment to our company has been immediately evident.

We use Safeguard to make sure that documents cannot be opened outside our local network or from a unauthorized computer in order to copy or print the documents. It is the most feature rich, affordable, & simple to use PDF security product on the market.

Safeguard PDF Security is simple to administer and meets our needs, consistently delivering secured manuals to our customers with ease. Return on investment has been elimination of many man hours, printing resources and postage – it is estimated that costs decreased by 50% or more.

We would really recommend Safeguard PDF Security to every publishing company for managing ePubs or e-books securely.  It is easy to secure PDF files and simple to distribute them to our authorized customers only. Locklizard also provides a good customer support experience.

The ROI for us is incalculable.  We have the security of knowing that our proprietary documents are secure.  This is the entire value of our company. I would most certainly recommend your PDF security product and already have.  The ease of implementation was surprising.

We can now sell our manuals without the need to print them first, saving time, money and helping safeguard the environment. We would recommend Safeguard PDF DRM – it is the perfect solution to sell and send e-documents securely whilst making sure someone cannot copy them.

We would recommend Locklizard to other companies without hesitation. Their PDF DRM products provide a manageable, cost effective way to protect intellectual investment and they are always looking for ways to improve them.  Moreover, their staff provide an excellent level of support.

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How to Protect PowerPoint Presentation from Editing

PowerPoint is one of the world’s biggest presentation applications in terms of its user base. Millions of users utilize PowerPoint to set up visually appealing slideshows that incorporate various multimedia elements. As presentations present information to people, many users share their PowerPoint documents via email and cloud storage services. However, a lot of users only need to share their PP slideshows for viewing, not editing, purposes.

Fortunately, Microsoft recognizes that some users will need to apply editing protection to PowerPoint documents before sharing them. Therefore, PowerPoint, and other applications of the MS Office suite, include numerous built-in protection settings users can select to protect their shared documents from unwanted editing. With those built-in editing protection options, users can apply various degrees of editing restrictions to PowerPoint presentations.

Beyond PowerPoint’s built-in options, there are also a few other ways users can protect presentations from editing. Thus, there’s more than one way to skin a cat, so to speak, when it comes to applying editing protection to slideshows. This is how to protect a PowerPoint presentation from editing with six alternative methods.

Table of Contents

Method 1. Mark the PowerPoint Presentation as a Final Version

This first method applies a “Marked as Final” message that discourages recipients from applying editing protection to shared presentations. However, users can still apply editing by clicking its “Edit Anyway” option. Thus, marking a document as final doesn’t exactly amount to editing protection. Yet, this option is sufficient for users who only need to inform file recipients that they’ve received final document versions for which editing is not expected. You can mark a PowerPoint document as final as follows.

Step 1: Open a slideshow to mark as final in PowerPoint, and select the File tab.

Step 2: Click “Info” on the left of the File tab to open the options shown directly below.

Step 3: Then press the “Protect Presentation” to open the drop-down menu in the screenshot directly below.

Step 4: Next, select the “Mark as Final” option there.

Step 5: Click “OK” to confirm the selected option.

Step 6: A dialog window will then pop up that includes a message that says, “This document has been marked as final to indicate that editing is complete and that this is the final version of the document.” Select the “OK” option on that dialog window.

Thereafter, recipients will see the “Marked as Final” message in the snapshot directly below when they open the PowerPoint presentation. If the recipients close that message without clicking “Edit Anyway,” the presentation will remain in a read-only mode.

Method 2. Set Restrict Access to Protect PowerPoint from Editing

Some PowerPoint users will be able to select a “Restrict Access” option to restrict document permissions to read-only. However, that’s not an entirely universal Office feature as it requires Windows Rights Management Services (RMS) Client Service Pack 1 to be installed and enabled. If you have an Office subscription with Information Rights Management (IRM) enabled, however, you can restrict presentation permissions with that option. This is how to lock a PowerPoint presentation from editing with the “Restrict Access” option.

Step 1: First, click File in PowerPoint.

Step 2: Select “Info” to click the “Protect Presentation” button.

Step 3: Then select the “Restrict Access” option shown directly below if it’s available.

Step 4: Click “Restricted Access” to open a Permissions window like the one directly below.

Step 5: Select the “Restrict permission to this document” checkbox.

Step 6: Then click “Read” to select an email address from the Address Book for the user you need to apply restricted read-only document access to.

Step 7: Press the “OK” button.

Method 3. Set “Password to Modify” to Lock A PowerPoint So It Cannot Be Edited

If you want to make sure a presentation recipient won’t modify a shared slideshow document, your best bet is to apply a modification (editing) password to the file. By doing so, recipients you share the presentation with will need to enter a password to edit it. However, they will still be able to open the slideshow in a read-only mode. Thus, applying a password to modify is perhaps the most full-proof way to forestall document editing. This is how to password-protect PowerPoint documents from editing.

Step 1: First, open the slideshow you want to apply an editing password to in PowerPoint.

Step 2: Click PowerPoint’s File tab at the top left of the application.

Step 3: Select the “Save As” option on the File tab.

Step 4: Choose a location to save the presentation.

Step 5: Click the “Tools” button on the Save As window that opens.

Step 6: Then select “General Options” on the menu to open the password window in the screenshot directly below.

Step 7: Type a password in the Password to modify text box.

Step 8: Click “OK” to open a Confirm Password window.

Step 9: Next, type your password within the Reenter password to password to modify box.

Step 10: Select the “OK” option on Confirm Password window.

Step 11: Thereafter, click the “Save” option.

Thereafter, the PowerPoint document you applied an editing password will have a Password window that pops up whenever it’s opened. That window includes a “Read Only” option recipients can select to view the document. You can enter the presentation’s password in the text box to edit it.

Method 4. Save the PowerPoint Presentation With a PPSX Format

PPSX is a read-only PowerPoint file format. Presentations saved with in format are non-editable documents. So, saving a PowerPoint slideshow to the PPSX format is another way to protect it from editing. However, it’s not an entirely full-proof method because recipients can utilize conversion tools to change a presentation’s format to an editable PPT one. This is how to lock a PowerPoint presentation from editing by saving it in the PPSX format.

Step 1: Open a presentation to save with a different file format in PowerPoint.

Step 2: Click File at the top left of PowerPoint’s window.

Step 3: Select the “Save As” option.

Step 4: Then click “Browse” to open a Save As window.

Step 5: Click the “Save as type” drop-down menu.

Step 6: Select the “PowerPoint Show (*.ppsx)” option on the drop-down menu.

Step 7: Choose a folder to save the file to.

Step 8: Click “Save” to save the presentation with the selected PPSX format.

Method 5: Select the Read-Only File Attribute Option

Aside from PowerPoint’s protection options, you can also select a “Read-only” File Explorer setting for PowerPoint files and other document types. Selecting to apply the read-only attribute to a file will prevent writing to it. Thus, a presentation with a read-only attribute is a non-editable file. This is how to lock a PowerPoint file so it cannot be edited by selecting the “Read-only” attribute setting.

Step 1: To launch File Explorer, press the Windows and E keys at the same time.

Step 2: Open a folder that includes a PowerPoint presentation.

Step 3: Right-click a PowerPoint slideshow file and select “Properties” on its context menu.

Step 4: Then select the “Read-only” checkbox.

Step 5: Press the “Apply” button to save the new file attribute setting.

Step 6: Click “OK” to close the properties window.

Method 6: Convert an Editable PowerPoint PPT to PDF Format

Another way to protect a PowerPoint presentation from editing is to convert it to a PDF format. PDF is a universal non-editable document format users can open with PDF viewers and browsers. One thing to note is that a presentation will not strictly be a slideshow in Portable Document Format. However, recipients will still be able to view and read all the presentation’s slides within PDF document pages.

You can convert PPT files to PDF alternatives with the free Online2PDF web app as follows.

Step 1: Open the Online2PDF web app in your browser.

Step 2: Click the “Select files” button there.

Step 3: Choose a PowerPoint file to convert, and click the “Open” button.

Step 4: Press the “Convert” button to initiate the conversion.

Step 4: Then select a folder to download the PDF to, and click the “Save” option.

FAQs About Editing Protection in PowerPoint

Does the powerpoint web app have the same protection features as the powerpoint desktop applications.

No, the PowerPoint web app doesn’t include a “Protect Presentation” button like its desktop software alternatives. However, PowerPoint web app users can select a “Download as PDF” setting to save a presentation in a non-editable PDF format. Furthermore, there’s an “Embed” sharing option in the PP web app you can select to incorporate non-editable presentations on blogs and websites.

What PowerPoint desktop versions are the aforementioned editing protection features applicable to?

The above presentation protection methods are primarily applicable to PowerPoint applications dating back to 2010.

Is an editing password the same as one for an encrypted document?

No, an editing password is not the same because it’s doesn’t block users from opening documents altogether. Users can still open documents without entering editing passwords, but they can’t modify the presentations. Encrypted document passwords block users from opening files.

Does PowerPoint include a built-in “Read-Only” option?

Yes, you can select an “Always Open Read-Only” option on the “Protect Presentation” button’s drop-down menu. However, that option isn’t much different from the “Mark as Final” setting because users can still click an “Edit Anyway” button on its yellow message. Therefore, File Explorer’s “Read-only” file attribute setting is a more full-proof alternative.

Can I remove restrictions from a PowerPoint file I’ve forgotten my editing password for?

There are numerous third-party software packages available that enable users to remove editing restrictions from files. For example, you can utilize Passper for PowerPoint to recover an editing password or remove all restrictions applied to a presentation.

Read More: Best PPT password recovery tools

So, there you have six different ways to apply editing protection for PowerPoint slideshows you share with colleagues. Most of those methods are primarily intended to protect presentations from accidental modifications and aren’t necessarily supposed to be entirely full-proof editing blocks. Methods three and two are the most full-proof ways to stop users from editing shared PowerPoint presentations, which aren’t so straightforward to bypass.

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• Note that presentation file will be deleted from our servers after 24 hours and download links will stop working after this time period.

Aspose.Slides Unlock App allows to unlock presentation from editing, viewing, commenting and all other operations. Unlock password protected presentation and read only presentation from any device. Use a unified and simplified interface to unlock presentation from all restrictions in one step. Just type the presentation password and get the presentation file unlocked. Unlock App is a free app provided by Aspose.Slides .

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How to Lock a PowerPoint? Proper Guideline

• October 2, 2023

Once you’re done creating your PowerPoint presentation, you sure want to share it with the world. However, if you don’t protect it, anyone can copy, print, or edit your presentation. To safeguard your intellectual property, you must learn how to lock a PowerPoint.

First, open your PowerPoint presentation and click on the ‘File’ tab. Select the ‘Info’ option and choose ‘Protect Presentation’. Click on ‘Encrypt with Password’ and set a secure passcode. Re-enter the passcode to confirm and select ‘Save.’ Now your file is secure and only people with a password can open it.

Let’s dive in and explore all the easy and secure ways to protect a PowerPoint.

How Do You Lock a PowerPoint? – 4 Easy Methods

Depending on the level of security you want, there are multiple methods to choose from. You can lock the file to protect it from unauthorized editing, copying, or viewing. Before getting into the details, here’s a quick overview of which method to choose and when:

Method 1: Turn on the Read-Only or Final Mode

By applying this method, you let the readers or visitors know this file is not supposed to be changed or edited. As you lock the file, it can prevent accidental displacement of elements.

While this is the fastest way to lock a PowerPoint, it’s not highly secure. People can opt-in to edit by choosing the ‘Edit Anyway’ option. Here’s the locking process:

• Open the PowerPoint presentation you want to lock and locate the ‘File’ tab. You can find it in the top left corner of your screen. Click on it, and a ribbon will appear with multiple saving and editing options.

• From the ribbon on the left side of the page, select ‘Info’ and choose ‘Protect Presentation’ from the given options. Now, you’ll see a drop-down menu with 5 security options. 

• The first option is ‘Always Open Read-Only’ . Select it to prevent accidental changes in your PowerPoint. If multiple users are editing the presentation, you can select the ‘Mark as Final’ option instead. It will let everyone know this is the final draft, and it shouldn’t be edited.

Method 2: Protection with Encrypted Password

This is easily the best method of locking PowerPoint when it comes to security. As you set a password for the file, viewers must enter it correctly to unlock the file and edit it. Below is the easy way to do it:

• On the file tab, click on the ‘Info’ option. Go to ‘Protect Presentation’ and click on ‘Encrypt with Password’ .

• From the encrypt document dialogue box, you need to set a password to lock the file. Type the password in the blank field and click ‘OK.’ 

• A new dialogue box will arrive for confirmation. Retype your password and hit ‘OK’. Now you’ve locked the PPT file, and only the viewers with the correct password unlock it.

There’s another way to set a password and lock the PowerPoint presentation. Here’s how it goes:

• From the top left corner, select the ‘File’ option and click on ‘Save As.’ You can also use the keyboard command ‘Ctrl + Shift + S.’

• Choose a suitable location to save your PowerPoint. Instead of clicking ‘Save,’ choose the ‘Tools’ option right beside it. From the drop-down menu, click on ‘General Options’.

• At this point, you can see two blank fields on your screen. You have the option to either select the ‘Password to open’ or ‘Password to modify’ field. While the first one prevents unauthorized people from opening the file, the second one prevents editing and printing.

• Type a strong yet memorable password in your selected field and click ‘OK.’ A new prompt will arrive asking to confirm the passcode. Fill the blank with the passcode you’ve used before and hit ‘OK’ to lock the PowerPoint presentation successfully. Here is a video of it.

Method 3: Restrict Access for Selected Users

While this method offers high security, it’s a bit difficult to proceed with. To give or restrict access for only some selected users, you must connect to RMS or Rights Management Service.

The feature includes the integration of Microsoft Office, and it’s only available for team members of certain faculty. Once you connect to the RMS, follow the steps given below:

• Go to the ‘File’ tab and select ‘Info’ . Click on ‘Protect Presentation’ and you’ll see all the security options arrive on a drop-down menu.
• Choose the ‘Restrict Access’ option that allows selected people to open your PowerPoint. However, even the authorized members won’t be able to edit, copy, or print it unless you allow them. From the new dialogue box, tick on the checkbox beside the ‘Restrict Permission to this presentation’ option. 

• Add people you want to give access to read the PowerPoint in the field beside the ‘Read’ option. You can also open the edit option for selected persons using the ‘Change’ field. Click ‘OK’ when you’re done.

Method 4: Locking PowerPoint Objects

A new PowerPoint feature allows you to lock specific objects in the file. With this method, you can prevent shapes, graphics, images, titles, and 3D objects from moving. For this:

• First, insert the object you want to lock. Let’s say you’ve inserted your preferred shape in your presentation. Right-click on the shape to select it and get the shortcut menu. From the menu, select ‘Lock,’ and the item will be locked from editing.

• Another way to lock the shape is to choose the ‘Shape Format’ menu. Click on ‘Selection Pane’ to see the name of the shapes or objects you’ve used in the file. Select the lock icon beside the specific object you want to lock.

Final Words

No need to worry about how to lock a PowerPoint anymore, as we’ve discussed all the different ways here. If your goal is to lock the file from viewing, set an encrypted password or use the restricted access feature. For basic security, you can simply set the ‘ Read-only’ or ‘Mark as Final mode.’

All the methods described here are easy and free of cost. Although there are third-party tools to lock a PowerPoint presentation, such tools can be costly and unreliable. So, stick to the methods mentioned above to keep your PPT files secure.

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PowerPoint: How to Add Audio to Powerpoint on Windows 10 and Mac

Last Updated Thursday, August 31, 2023, at 5:00 am

Known Issue (August 14, 2023): 

Some Windows 11 users are experiencing issues with PowerPoint exports when they are turned into .mp4 files. Visuals within the exported PowerPoint are appearing as flipped, or upside down. We are working with Microsoft to find a solution. 

As a workaround, please convert the file as a .WMV file option and save it in My Media.  The following are directions on how to convert a PowerPoint Presentation with audio to a .WMV file . For more support or to help troubleshoot issues, please reach out to the LTS Help Desk at [email protected] . 

Microsoft PowerPoint offers features to record audio narration and export it as a video. PowerPoint records audio slide-by-slide rather than in one continuous file, allowing creators to easily re-record a slide if they make a mistake or need to change something later. Exporting as a video and uploading to Kaltura or Canvas for streaming is advantageous since it standardizes file types, doesn't require a download to view, is in a format that can be captioned, and allows viewers to navigate more efficiently. 

A recent update has made the process comparable on a Mac, but the specifics vary. Windows 10 instructions follow; Mac users can click the link below to jump to the appropriate instructions.

• Instructions for Mac users

Windows 10 Instructions:

The following instructions explain how to add audio to your PowerPoint presentation on Windows 10 and export that PowerPoint as an MP4. The text instructions cover the same information as the embedded video below.

NOTE: If you have an older version of PowerPoint, you may need to update it to access the features described below. If you do not have PowerPoint, you can download it and other Microsoft Office products for free by going to office365.uwec.edu. If you have questions about updating or installing PowerPoint, contact the LTS Help Desk at [email protected] or 715-836-5711. 

• Design your PowerPoint TIP: Use images and limit text to better engage viewers/listeners.  

• Click Record Slide Show NOTE:  Audio may start recording automatically if you have an older version of PowerPoint. It will still work, but this version offers reduced functionality. 

• Record narration and avoid reading text on the slide out loud to viewers. Click the blue Replay button to listen to the recorded audio and ensure it was recording. 

• Press [Escape] or the ‘X’ button located in the top right of the screen when the audio recordings are finished. You will see a speaker icon on slides that have audio.

• Select Export  (steps 10-14 are shown in screenshot below).
• Select Create a Video .  
• Optional: Select Full HD (1080p) for the video quality; it is unlikely a higher quality is needed.  
• Select Use Recorded Timings and Narrations.  

• Follow prompt/pop-up window to save the video in a memorable location. 

• How to upload and share with Kaltura (Instructors should use Kaltura. Students will need to use it if the file is over 500 MB, which a PowerPoint probably won't be and they can use Canvas.)
• How to upload and share in a Canvas assignment (students)
• How to upload and share in a Canvas discussion (students) - the instructions refer to the "rich content editor" which is just the features in the top of the discussion post reply. 

Elaboration on the Recording Features:

• Timing Feature – there is a rolling time feature for the individual slide and the overall presentation. Allows the speaker/presenter to monitor how long they are talking.
• Microphone Feature - Click on Settings  and select Microphone  and then the specific device to set up before recording.
• Replay Feature - Use to check that the audio is recording properly before starting additional slides.
• Clear Feature - Select Clear  to delete/re-record audio.
• Don’t set the camera to record - Make sure this button has a diagonal slash through it to avoid the problem.

Mac Instructions:

The following instructions will teach you how to add audio to your PowerPoint presentation on a Mac and export that PowerPoint as an MP4. The text instructions cover the same information as the video embedded below.

NOTE: It is essential to have the Office 365 version of PowerPoint or you will not be able to save your PowerPoint as a video. If necessary, you can download it and other Microsoft Office products for free by going to office365.uwec.edu. If you have questions about updating or installing PowerPoint, contact the LTS Help Desk at [email protected] or 715-836-5711. 

• TIP: Use images and limit text to better engage viewers/listeners.  

• Click Record Slide  Show
• TIP: Before you begin recording your full presentation, do a practice recording to verify your microphone and other settings are correct.

• NOTE: Avoid reading the text written directly on the slide; use the slide to elaborate on the material being presented.
•  Stop speaking for a second to prevent the audio from cutting out as slides change. Resume speaking when the time starts moving again under the Current slide timing feature to the left of the recording button.
• Click Stop or Pause  at the top of the screen and then End Show  in the top left corner   when all the audio recordings have been finished.
• Check the audio by clicking on Play from Start  under the Slide Show tab or the presenter mode icon at the bottom of the screen.

• Edit the name of the file and where you would like to save the video following PowerPoint's prompts.  

• Click Export 

• Upload your mp4 video to Kaltura or Canvas to share it:
• How to upload and share to My Media (Instructors should use My Media. Students will need to use it if the file is over 500 MB, which a PowerPoint probably won't be and they can use Canvas.)
• How to upload and share in a Canvas discussion (students) - the instructions refer to the "rich content editor" which is the tool at the top of the discussion post reply.

Additional Video Tool Options

For more information about recording options available, click here to view a comparison of each tool's features.

Android Police

How to curve text in google slides.

Grab everyone's attention with curved text in presentation slides

Google Slides offers formatting options to tweak text, photos, videos, and other elements in a presentation. However, it lacks a few important add-ons. For instance, unlike PowerPoint, there isn't a built-in way to curve text in Google Slides. If you want to make your presentation stand out among the rest, use the tricks below to curve text in Google Slides.

Adding curved text is a neat way to elevate your presentation. Still, don't go overboard with curve text in Google Slides. It may create unnecessary distractions and make it hard for your audience to read a slide. Instead, highlight a few headings or text you want to separate from the other paragraphs.

Although Google Slides is available on mobile platforms like iPhone and Android phones , we focus on the web version in the steps below.

Curve text in Google Slides using PowerPoint

There are a couple of ways to curve text in Google Slides. If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription plan, use the PowerPoint desktop app to curve text and copy it into Google Slides. In another trick, you can use a web tool like Canva or InkPx to get the job done. Let's start with PowerPoint.

• Open Microsoft PowerPoint on Windows or Mac.
• Create a new presentation and go to any slide.
• Resize a text box and enter the text you want to add in Google Slides.
• Expand the text effects icon and click Transform .
• Check your curved text in action. Drag the white dots around the text box to resize it.
• Open a presentation in Google Slides and select a slide where you want to add curve text.

PowerPoint offers dozens of curved text styles. You'll have no trouble finding a style that matches your presentation tone and theme.

How to delete a text box in Google Slides

Use an online tool to curve text in google slides.

PowerPoint requires a paid Microsoft 365 plan. If you don't have a subscription, use the tools below to generate and upload curved text in Google Slides.

Curve text using Canva

Canva is one of the best graphic design tools available. The web app offers several editing tools to create curved text in a design. You can download the image with a transparent background and upload it to Google Slides. Follow the steps below.

• Use the top menu to tweak text style, color, size, and more.

The ability to download an image with a transparent background requires a Canva Pro subscription.

How to add transparency to an image in Google Slides

Curve text using inkpx.

InkPx is a web tool for creating curved text. You can make one and upload it on Google Slides.

• Visit InkPx .
• Enter text and pick a color, style, and size. Then, tweak the radius, spacing, and other details.
• Pick a PNG or JPG image type and save the image.
• Launch a presentation in Google Slides.
• Select your image and open it in Google Slides.

Unlike Microsoft PowerPoint and Canva, InkPx is free to download and use. And unlike other web tools, you don't need to create an account to use the service.

Make your presentation stand out

Aside from curve text, there are other ways to make an interesting pitch. However, creating an engaging presentation from scratch can be time-consuming. Check the top Google Slides templates to get started and complete an applaud-worthy presentation in no time.