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How can I lock a Watermark in a Word document or otherwise prevent deletion?

Anonymous
2019-12-18T11:27:25+00:00

How can I lock a watermark on a word document so that no one else can be able to remove it?

Thank you in advanced for your help

Microsoft 365 and Office | Word | For home | Windows

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  1. Charles Kenyon 166.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-12-18T12:06:21+00:00

    If you want a watermark that can't be removed, send a piece of paper with a genuine watermark.

    Sorry.

    Rule #1: If they can see it, they can copy it.

    Rule #2: If they can copy it, they can modify it.

    I expand on these in the following page: **No Copies - No Editing**

    Send as pdf and it will be harder to remove than than in Word format.  Convert it somehow to a jpg and it becomes even more difficult. You can print and use a scanner to do this. You could, then, insert that jpg into a Word file.

    T hat said, there are some things that you can do in Word.

    The methods you can use in Word are designed to help keep honest people honest. They will not prevent a dishonest person who is willing to do a little research and work from deleing your watermark.

    Watermarks in Word are dimmed images in the header or footer. They have a "watermark" tag on them so that they can be manipulated using the Watermark feature.

    You can create your own non-Word watermark by inserting your own image in a header or footer. Then it can't be minapulated using the Watermark commands.

    You can create a watermark in Word, then copy the image to the clipboard and delete the watermark using the watermark command. Then re-insert the image (in the header).

    **You can use a macro to limit access to the header.**However, that only works if the recipient allows macros to run. Most do not.

    Watermarks in Ribbon Versions of Word

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  1. Charles Kenyon 166.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-12-18T14:08:12+00:00

    You can also protect the header to which the watermark is anchored:

    https://wordmvp.com/FAQs/Customization/ProtectWord2000PlusHeader.htm. But again, this is a deterrent only for honest people, protecting against accidental deletion, and works only if macros are allowed to run.

    That was what I was referring to when I said that macros could be used to limit access.

    Suzanne, email me and I'll show you a way to delete such a Watermark even with that macro when macros are running.

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  2. Suzanne S Barnhill 277.1K Reputation points MVP Volunteer Moderator
    2019-12-18T13:38:34+00:00

    You can also protect the header to which the watermark is anchored:

    https://wordmvp.com/FAQs/Customization/ProtectWord2000PlusHeader.htm. But again, this is a deterrent only for honest people, protecting against accidental deletion, and works only if macros are allowed to run.

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  3. Charles Kenyon 166.5K Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2019-12-18T13:19:18+00:00

    Hi PenSp,

    ***

    For more details, you can refer to this article: 2 Ways to Prevent Others from Deleting Watermark in Your Word Document

    ***

    Best Regards,

    Sukie

    I can defeat the methods shown in this article, which are clever, in less than a minute.

    Word documents are meant to be edited!

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-12-18T12:18:00+00:00

    Hi PenSp,

    Thank you for your message in this forum.

    According to your description, it seems that you want to lock watermark in document.

    If so, we're afraid there is no out of box way to achieve that in Word directly, however, there are two workaround here and hope that will help you:

    1. Sometimes, the very reason we insert watermarks into document is to prevent someone else from editing. If true, we can just protect the entire document as well.  For more details, you can refer to this article: Allow changes to parts of a protected document.
    2. You can save a watermark as picture > then you can double click on header area to enter editing mode > Developer > select Picture Content Control > upload the Watermark picture > you can right-click this picture > click Size and Position > select “Behind text” for wrapping style under Text Wrapping and resize your picture > Next click on the empty area outside the control box but inside the header area. And click “Properties” under “Developer” tab > In the “Content Control Properties” box, enter texts in “Title” or “Tag” text boxes if you want. Then check both “Content control cannot be deleted” and “Contents cannot be edited” boxes.

    For more details, you can refer to this article: 2 Ways to Prevent Others from Deleting Watermark in Your Word Document

    Disclaimer: Microsoft provides no assurances and/or warranties, implied or otherwise, and is not responsible for the information you receive from the third-party linked sites or any support related to technology.

    Best Regards,

    Sukie

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