In case that you forgot the password and get locked out of the encrypted Word document, what can you do? How to open a password protected Word document if forgot the password? However, a complex password is forgettable so you should backup it in a safe place. Step 2: Type your password in the box and then click “OK” to open the document for reading or editing. Step 1: Double click your Word document, it will ask you to enter your password. When a Word document is encrypted with password, you need to enter password if you want to open it: When you create an important Word document, it is necessary to use a strong password to protect the document from unauthorized access or modification.