Help prevent changes to a final version of a file

The Mark as Final command helps you communicate that you are sharing a completed version of a file. It also helps prevent reviewers or readers from making unintended changes to the document.

Before you share an electronic copy of a Microsoft Office document with other people, you can use the Mark as Final command to make the file read-only and help prevent changes to the file. When a file is marked as final, typing, editing commands, and proofing marks are disabled or turned off, and the file becomes read-only. Additionally, the Status property of the document is set to Final.


 Notes 

  • The Mark as Final command is not a security feature. Anyone who receives an electronic copy of a file that has been marked as final can edit that file by removing the Mark as Final status from the file.
  • Files that have been marked as final in an Office program are not read-only if someone opens it in a version of Microsoft Office programs earlier than 2010.
What do you want to do?

Mark file as final

After you click Mark as Final to make a file as final, the ScreenTip tells you that the file is marked as final to discourage editing.

Which Microsoft Office program are you using?

Excel

  1. Open the workbook that you want to mark as final.
  2. Click File, and then click Info.
  3. Under Permissions, click Protect Workbook, and then click Mark as Final.

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PowerPoint

  1. Open the presentation that you want to mark as final.
  2. Click File, and then click Info.
  3. Under Permissions, click Protect Presentation, and then click Mark as Final.

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Word

  1. Open the document that you want to mark as final.
  2. Click File, and then click Info.
  3. Under Permissions, click Protect Document, and then click Mark as Final.

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Enable editing for a file that is marked as final

The Mark as Final command is selected in files that have been marked as final. If you want to change a file that is marked as final, you can click the Mark as Final command.

 Note   You can also see that a file has been marked as final by looking for the Mark as Final icon in the status bar.

After you click Mark as Final to enable editing for a file, the ScreenTip tells you that anyone can open, copy, and change any part of this file.

Which Microsoft Office program are you using?

Excel

  1. Open the workbook that is marked as final.
  2. Click File, and then click Info.
  3. Under Permissions, click Protect Workbook, and then click Mark as Final.

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PowerPoint

  1. Open the presentation that is marked as final.
  2. Click File, and then click Info.
  3. Under Permissions, click Protect Presentation, and then click Mark as Final.

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Word

  1. Open the document that is marked as final.
  2. Click File, and then click Info.
  3. Under Permissions, click Protect Document, and then click Mark as Final.

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Applies to:
Excel 2013, PowerPoint 2013, Word 2013, Excel 2010, PowerPoint 2010, Word 2010