Something very important when browsing the Internet or using devices is maintaining security and privacy. There are many factors that we must take into account to avoid viruses or that the access codes are stolen from us. In this article we are going to talk about something very useful as it is encrypt documents with a password. We are going to explain what to do to encrypt file in Microsoft Word, OpenOffice, LibreOffice and also when using Google Drive. You will see that it is very simple and you can avoid problems.

What to do to encrypt documents with password

You can use different programs to encrypt any file. For example you can use AxCrypt or AES Crypt. But in this case you need to install an external program. What we look for in this article is simply to use the Word, OpenOffice or LibreOffice program, as well as Google Drive, to encrypt a text document.

Encrypt a file in Word

First of all we are going to talk about how we can encrypt documents in Microsoft Word. It is widely used and that means that we can have many files that we are interested in protecting better and preventing them from reading them. However, these steps that we are going to mention can also be used in Excel and other Microsoft programs.

What you have to do is follow these simple steps:

- The first thing is to open the document you want to encrypt with a password.
- Later you have to rent to Archive, which is at the top left. Click on the Information section and you give Protect document and Encrypt with password. You have to put twice the key that you are creating.
Once this is done, that document will already be protected with the password you have created. At any time you can reverse the process and have the file open again. You simply have to follow the same steps that we have explained but this time do not put any keys.

Steps to encrypt documents with OpenOffice
You can do something similar in OpenOffice. There you will also be able to encrypt documents with a password and thus prevent anyone from reading the content without your permission. The process is similar and you can do it in a simple way on your computer to protect the files.

You have to perform these steps:

-First you open the document you want to encrypt in OpenOffice with password
-When you have it open, you have to go to File and you give it to Save As. You have to check the encryption box with a password. Below where the space to put the name appears, you will also see to put a password and mark it.
The next thing is to put a password twice, we accept and we will already have the document protected with a key. From there, you will have that text document protected and nobody who does not know the password will be able to access it.

Encrypt files in LibreOffice

If you use LibreOffice, you will also be able to encrypt documents with passwords with this program. It is one more option for writing texts and has multiple options among which we find encrypting it with a key to improve security and privacy.

You are going to have to take steps very similar to the previous ones. In this case you have to do the following:

You have to open the document you want to encrypt with a password
When you have it open you give to File and Save As. You have to check the option to encrypt with a password. In the new window that will appear you put the key twice and save. With that you will already have the LibreOffice document protected.
You can check that the process was successful simply by opening the document and see if it asks for a password. You simply put the password that you have created and you can enter that file.

Method to encrypt a document on Drive
A different option is to encrypt files in Google Drive. If you are going to have a document uploaded to the cloud and you are interested in it being protected in case there is a problem and someone gets in, you simply have to follow a series of steps. As in the other programs we have seen, you will be able to create a key.

Unlike the previous cases, this time you will have to have an Internet connection to be able to carry out the steps that we are going to explain. You need to log into your Drive account to upload a file. Now, this platform does not have a native function to encrypt a document today, but you can still do it.

What you need is to use an external program for it. You can upload folders or any file you have previously encrypted. Some programs you can use for this are the following:

-7-ZIP
-AES Crypt
-AxCrypt
Once you encrypt the files, you simply have to upload them to your Google Drive account. You can also select who you share them with and thus increase protection.

What type of password to use
You may be wondering what kind of key use to encrypt documents in Word, OpenOffice or LibreOffice. As with any online service or platform you use, it is important that this key is correct. The goal is that a hypothetical intruder cannot easily find out and enter.

Therefore, a strong password must have all this that we are going to mention:

Letters, numbers and symbols: use a mix of everything a little. Use both upper and lower case. Each additional symbol, letter, or number will make it more secure.
Unique: You should never use a password that you are already using in another document or anywhere.
Random: It is important that it is random and not use things that can relate to us. For example, avoid using your name, date of birth, and the like.
Length: Another essential point is the length of the password. The more characters you include, the better.
In short, as you can see you can encrypt documents in Microsoft Word, OpenOffice and LibreOffice. You can also upload encrypted files to Google Drive to improve privacy and security. It is important that you always choose a good password and do not make mistakes that can expose your security.