In the past, writing a document would require using a typewriter. Making a table, for instance, couldn’t be done in a few clicks. This is why we are fortunate we have options for word processing software. There’s Microsoft Office, which has been around for decades, and Google’s G Suite, relatively a newcomer. Despite that, you might be amazed to learn that the bigger chunk of the US market is in G Suite’s jaws, claiming roughly 60% as of 2020.
And unsurprisingly, making powerpoints, spreadsheets, and documents is so important these days. One survey done found that 35% of people who use Google Docs use it two to three times every week, while roughly 30% use it every day.
If you’re one of these people, one important feature you may need to figure out is how to password protect Google doc.
That’s one thing you should know how to do sooner than later. This article will teach you how to lock a Google doc.
Do you have a particular question about password protecting google docs? Then use the table of contents below to jump to the most relevant section. And you can always go back by clicking on the black arrow in the right bottom corner of the page. Also, please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links. For more details, check the Disclosure section at the bottom of the page.
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Can you password protect a Google doc?
One significant advantage of Google Docs over Microsoft Word is that Google Docs has features that make collaboration with other people so much easier. The fact that you may be sharing these documents with others and having several people viewing them may raise concerns over the security of the information.
This is why you might be looking to figure out how to password protect Google Docs. This would mean that even if someone has the link and can get to your document, they cannot view it if they haven’t explicitly been given the password.
The unfortunate part is that there is no way to password protect a document in Google Docs. Perhaps it may be a feature that comes in an update to the platform in the future, but this functionality is not built-in.
How to password protect Google doc?
If you need to have a password-protected Google doc no matter what, then perhaps there is hope for you. Suppose you’re willing to trust third-party extensions with your data. In that case, there is one in particular that can do exactly what you’re looking for.
This add-on is called Secure File Encryption. It will allow you to have encrypted Google Docs files simply by entering a password when uploading them. And then, similarly, when downloading them, you just have to put in the same password. This means that multiple people can still get the advantage of collaborating on a Google document as long as they all have the password.
How to make a Google doc password protected?
Now, if you have installed Secure File Encryption to your Google Drive, you can now use it to encrypt Google doc with ease. All you need to do is follow these steps to encrypt a file.
- Go to the G Suite Marketplace and search for Secure File Encryption.
- Once you see it, click on “Install” and let it complete.
- Once it is done, the add-on will have been installed on your Google Drive.
- Now, to open Secure File Encryption, click on “New” in the upper-left corner of Google Drive.
- Click on “More.”
- You should see Secure File Encryption as one of the options there. Click on it.
- This will open a window belonging to the add-on. At this point, you can upload the Google Docs file that you wish to lock.
- At the top, you enter the password that you wish to encrypt it with. You must absolutely remember this password if you wish to access the file in the future. There’s no point going through this trouble to lock Google doc if you can’t remember the Google Docs password!
- Once you have done this, the file will be encrypted with that password! You can only access it through Google Drive now, and you must be sure to enter the exact same password. You can use this to create secure Google docs.
How to password protect Google Drive?
Now, what about files in Google Drive in general? What if you want to password protect a Google Drive file that isn’t a Google doc. Maybe a spreadsheet or a PDF? Is that possible?
The answer is yes! Secure File Encryption doesn’t only lock text in Google Docs. It can be used to lock any kind of file that you can put in Google Drive. Simply repeat the steps above but upload your file of choice. That’s all you need!
Credits: Thanks for the photo to Canva.
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