Dim app As New MSWord.Application try Dim fileName = "d:\test.doc" Dim doc = app.Documents.Open(fileName) doc.Protect (Password:="123456", NoReset:=False, Type:= _ MsWord.WdProtectionType.wdAllowOnlyReading, UseIRM:=False, EnforceStyleLock:=False) app.Documents.save catch ex As exception msgbox(ex.message) finally app.Quit End try