Crack or Recover Read-only Password Protected Word Document

July 28, 2008 at 19:49 · Tags: Crack, doc, Excel, hack, office, password, recover, word

From time to time someone sends me read-only password protected Microsoft Word (doc-files) documents. Getting word files is in it self is bothersome, but that’s the way the world of IT is today, but hopefully more and more home and business users discover the OpenOffice productivity suite in the future. But getting read-only password protected word files is just incredibly annoying – first of all it tells you that the person that just sent you the document doesn’t have a clue on security matters, since protection techniques of that type is of no real use. They are simply too easy to crack, but again – why at all protect a document…

Howto crack and get rid of the “protection” / “Recover” the document
If you are using Microsoft Office XP or Microsoft Office 2003, you can change the view to HTML-Code using Microsoft Script Editor by pressing the Alt+Shift+F11 keys.

When the document is opened in the Microsoft Script Editor then search for “Password” and you will find something similar to this:
Forms
ReadOnly
FED5E3B6

To remove the document’s form protection:
– remove the line containing Forms and then save the document using Ctrl+s, the form protection should then be gone.

To remove the document’s read-only protection:
– remove the line containing ReadOnly and then save the document using Ctrl+s, the read-only protection should then be gone.

To remove the password:
– remove the line containing the password and then save the document using Ctrl+s.

This blog entry describes this and other techniques to recover password protected office documents and so does this page.

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23 Comments »

meerraj said,

August 6, 2008 @ 13:32

it does not work
danny said,

August 6, 2008 @ 16:21

works great for me
mark said,

February 1, 2009 @ 16:39

How do you Remove the Forms lock, edit the document, and THEN, place the FORMS lock back in – as if it was never unlocked?
Haydn said,

February 9, 2009 @ 10:23

Technique works really well. Although when I pressed Alt+Shift+F11 and searched for password. The lines that described the password for me were:

Comments
6B51B0CA

I first of all tried to use what looked like the password, ie “6B51B0CA” to unlock the document from the tools menu, but that didn’t work. Simply deleting the two password related lines and pressing save in the script editor however let me then edit the document.

As an added tip, if you want to put the password back you can simply replace the lines you deleted, and the document is relocked.
mutu26 said,

February 17, 2009 @ 19:48

In this concern recommend try-repair corrupt docx,tool helped me many times it is free,also program repairing .docx files and repaire docx document should not be a problem,if you have at least one copy of your *.doc document on corporate file server or somewhere else,tool for repair .docx files allows the user to recover corrupted files in .doc, .docx, .dot and dotx format, as well as *.rtf (Rich Text format),program allows to repair a docx file, repair .docx document, repair .docx damaged files and repair corrupted docx files,it can open your document in Microsoft Word format and attempt to recover any damaged file.
Carrick said,

February 20, 2009 @ 1:16

WOO THANKS! YOU ROCK!
ripu said,

February 20, 2009 @ 10:14

plz anyone can explain it ?????plz i need it?????????plz………..unable to understand ????????plz???????????
Acharya RK said,

March 5, 2009 @ 20:03

Hi Ripu,

if you are using Win XP and office 2003 then, open the file (without password jus click ok ), then try opeing
Microsoft Script Editor by pressing the Alt+Shift+F11 keys.

When the document is opened in the Microsoft Script Editor then search for “Password” and you will find something similar to this:
Forms
ReadOnly
FED5E3B6
remove lines containng the above strings..
then Save.
Now open in Word.
Hope It will work..
Bye
Ramesh said,

March 9, 2009 @ 12:07

I am unable to open a password protected .Doc file.
Please help me, how can i open the file
Srikanth said,

March 17, 2009 @ 13:05

Hi,
I tried the same way, what u told. but im unable to open Windows script editor.

when im opening my password protected word file, in the first screen itself it is asking for the password. If click on ‘OK’ then it is showing message “The password is incorrect. Word cannot open the document” and here also i clicked “OK” button. later even if i pressed Alt+Shit+F11 there is no change and unable to open Windows script Editor..Pls help me on this.

Im using Windows XP and Office 2007.
Mouse Grey said,

May 7, 2009 @ 11:26

Outlook Password Recovery : Crack Outlook Password. Any passwords – 100% guaranteed result instantly.
Teela said,

May 21, 2009 @ 20:53

Thx…while I couldn’t actually unprotect my document, this did allow me to make the minor changes needed.
Apoo said,

June 4, 2009 @ 18:28

Dear Srikanth,

I read this article, I have not tried it yet , But as far as office 2007 is concerned i guess it is not included in default installation. You have to go to add remove program – change – add/remove feature – goto office tools option – select microsoft script editor – web scripting – web debugging – choose run from my computer. this will install this feature. then test it.

I will have to do the same for my pc. I will try and input my post later. good luck.
Jane said,

June 9, 2009 @ 10:42

Hi

Not comming right. If you email me an address, couldn’t I just email the document that I have forgotten the password for and you fix it for me please? Not too good with computers.
XP/Word 2003
Jane
Ganesha said,

June 17, 2009 @ 9:24

Hello,

If the document is already password protected, then how Alt+Shift+F11 will work. I don’t know the password, i have forgotten the password, now i want to open that doc, on opening, it ask for password, then from where the Alt+Shift+F11 is going to work?.. the solution is USELESS….

GA
Bobby said,

June 17, 2009 @ 9:52

Hello Ganesha,

The solution works as it should, however I think you should consider re-read the article and please consider carefully the words “Read-only Password Protected Word Document”

Happy cracking
sneha said,

July 19, 2009 @ 14:32

Thanks alot
lo said,

September 17, 2009 @ 18:37

AWESOME! THANKS!!!!

I forgot my password and tried everything I could think of it could have been and was becoming upset that I would have to recreate the document I was attempting to edit. Your instructions were easy and it realy worked. You saved me a lot of work. Thanks.
Amoey said,

October 1, 2009 @ 12:29

Thank you very much!!
kevin said,

December 15, 2009 @ 9:02

Thanks
Sally said,

January 26, 2010 @ 21:49

Hi, great post but I need one step further. I created a Word doc on word 2003 with a password protection to open the doc in the first place. I have forgotten the password nd now cannot open my doc at all and no way I can remeber to re type.Please can someone help me or have the tools to recover for me? Thansk
Michael Polimeneris said,

February 1, 2010 @ 19:59

Many thanks. Significant Word (2000) file with Form Protection Password forgotten, unlocked immediately.
peter hui said,

July 9, 2010 @ 19:48

wow that was awesome… worked like a charm

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