# View Password Protected Files

This section describes how to view password-protected files by using the Viewing API.

To view password-protected files

- Set the password with the VAPIMWP_INIT_SETPASSWORD message parameter.

  - For password-protected PST files, this message must be called before the `VAPIMWP_INIT_OPEN_DOCUMENT` message.

  - For password-protected Microsoft Office 2007 and 2010 files, this message must be called before the `VAPIMWP_INIT_OPEN_DOCUMENT` message.

  - For password-protected ZIP files, this message can be called after the `VAPIMWP_INIT_OPEN_DOCUMENT`, but must be called before the protected subfile is extracted or viewed.

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