Using Word on iPad

Microsoft Office Apps - such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint - require an active Office365 subscription for full functionality.

iPad models with a screen size of less than 10.1” can access a restricted set of App features, including creation and editing of documents, for free. 

For iPad devices with a screen larger than 10.1”, the MS App’s require an active Microsoft 365 Subscription - which you are already likely to have. If you don’t have an active O365 subscription, functionality is limited to opening and reviewing existing documents; documents cannot be edited or saved.

I use active Microsoft 365 Subscription for Word and Excel on my iPad Pro. I’ve encountered files that were read-only but in each case, there was light colored bar at the top, below the menu bar, that tells me to save a copy if I want to edit the document. Have you seen that bar? If not, where are those restricted documents coming from? I know I have restricted some word docs as read only when I share them. Could this be the case?

Contact the third-party app developer - https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/word