Can someone help me unlock a writer file that I have forgotten the password to, locked using the save as option using Acer 1760 with Win 23H2. If you need to be sent it for unlocking I can email, Not too private but my family history that is not quite finished, I promised it for Christmas and still editing required, getting a bit nervous of the deadline. The first paragraph has my full name so you will not find it unlike my email address. Any Help Please
You are the only person with a chance to open the file; you knew the password once. Maybe this article can help, How to Remember a Forgotten Password: 13 Steps (with Pictures)
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For the future, you might want to consider using a password manager.
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What does “locked” mean? Is it password-protected for opening? Or for editing? Or is it just read-only? What do you see trying to open/edit it?
Hi Mike, Thanks for getting back.
My apology for using the wrong words. Bit of a shock and another sharp learning curve.
Using Libre Writer, I saved a Libre Office document as a Microsoft Word Document using password protection, the one where you “save as” (Win 11) ticking just the “use password box” and have quite forgotten it. At 77 an easy feat for me LOL not. I tried Guaword but got completely lost as it didn’t seem to download with a .exe file. So I am wondering if I can email to a trusted person with it. 360 KB My name is in the document so it will be quite obvious that opening it is quite OK.
Can you please help
Regards J
Have a look at this archived topic: https://web.archive.org/web/20200930233353/https://ask.libreoffice.org/en/question/145716/i-forgot-my-password-to-a-very-important-document-please-please-help-ill-get-fired/
The description in it is valid for an ODF document (native LO format) which many advanced users and most developers know quite well. But the unfortunate conclusion is there is practically no hope to recover the file by brute force. Pay special attention on @Lupp’s contribution and @librebel’s one which provides a macro to help you test passwords.
Your matter is complicated by the fact you saved .docx, a format which is proprietary and thus not as well mastered as ODF. Your chances to recover are even lower.
Hi Guys, all sorted. went to work on it using GUA Write, The password was unlocked and document opened took less than 24 hours. using a 5 alphanumeric plus 1 special symbol. The art is to commit it to memory and not be rushed when pressing the enter
You might also consider letting a password manager, such as Bitwarden, do the remembering for you.