How to password-protect a document in Microsoft Word?

To password-protect a document in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:

1. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
2. Click on the "File" tab at the top-left corner of the window.
3. From the left-hand menu, select "Protect Document" or "Protect Workbook" (depending on your Word version).
4. Choose "Encrypt with Password" from the dropdown menu.
5. In the "Encrypt Document" dialog box, enter a password that you will remember. Note that the password is case-sensitive and should be strong.
6. Click on "OK" to confirm the password.
7. A dialog box will prompt you to re-enter the password for verification. Type the password again to confirm it and click on "OK."
8. Save the document to apply the password protection.

From now on, whenever someone tries to open the document, they will be prompted to enter the password before gaining access.