How to Unlock a Read Only PowerPoint Presentation (in 4 Steps)

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If you see text in a banner that warns you the file is read-only, the original author marked it as final and discourages editing. This wikiHow will teach you how to unlock a read-only PowerPoint manually. Otherwise, you can click Edit Anyway within the banner.

Steps

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  1. Step 1 Open the PowerPoint project.
    You can open PowerPoint from your Start menu or Applications folder, then open the project by going to File > Open. On the other hand, you can also right-click the file in either your file manager or Finder and select Open with > PowerPoint.
  2. Step 2 Click the File tab.
    You'll see this in the editing ribbon above the document space with Animations and Home.
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  3. Step 3 Click Protect Presentation.
    You'll see this with an icon of a lock to the right of the Info menu.
    • A menu will drop down from the lock icon.
  4. Step 4 Click Mark as Final.
    Clicking here will undo the lock and remove the presentation protection.
    • The "Read-Only" text is gone from the title and the yellow banner will disappear, which means you can edit the PowerPoint.[1]
    • To return the file to read-only, repeat the process to select "Mark as Final."
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References

  1. ↑ https://www.howtogeek.com/437502/how-to-unlock-read-only-powerpoint-presentations/

About This Article

Darlene Antonelli, MA
Written by:
Darlene Antonelli, MA
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA. Darlene has been writing and editing tech content at wikiHow since 2019. She previously worked for AppleCare, served as a writing tutor, volunteered in IT at an animal rescue, and taught as an adjunct professor for EN101 and EN102. Darlene has completed Coursera courses on technology, writing, and language. She holds both a BA (2011) and an MA (2012) from Rowan University in Writing, with a focus on workplace communication. With her extensive experience, academic background, and ongoing learning, Darlene has become the go-to grammar expert for her friends and family, as well as a skilled wordsmith for anyone in need. This article has been viewed 25,040 times.
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Co-authors: 6
Updated: December 29, 2021
Views: 25,040
Categories: PowerPoint Presentations
Article SummaryX

1. Open the PowerPoint project.
2. Click the File tab.
3. Click Protect Presentation.
4. Click Mark as Final.

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Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 25,040 times.

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