diff --git a/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/README.md b/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/README.md
index 5e7dd93..3e823e4 100644
--- a/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/README.md
+++ b/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/README.md
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@
 
 This project contains the Microsoft Word task pane add-in shell for PlotDirector.
 
-Phase 10B keeps the add-in deliberately small:
+The add-in is deliberately small:
 
 - The manifest adds one ribbon button: **Open PlotDirector Companion**.
 - The task pane opens the PlotDirector-hosted `/word-companion` route.
-- The PlotDirector page initialises Office.js only.
-- No Word document APIs are called in this phase.
+- The manifest requests `ReadDocument` so the companion can read Word paragraphs, selection context, and document body content for the manual document-structure scan.
+- The companion does not request document write permissions.
 
 ## Development
 
@@ -18,4 +18,3 @@ npm install
 npm run build
 npm run validate
 ```
-
diff --git a/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.template.xml b/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.template.xml
index a73b896..fb22d21 100644
--- a/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.template.xml
+++ b/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.template.xml
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@
   <DefaultSettings>
     <SourceLocation DefaultValue="{{taskpaneUrl}}"/>
   </DefaultSettings>
-  <Permissions>Restricted</Permissions>
+  <!-- ReadDocument is required for the companion to read Word paragraphs, selection context,
+       and document body content. It does not grant document write access. -->
+  <Permissions>ReadDocument</Permissions>
   <VersionOverrides xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/taskpaneappversionoverrides" xsi:type="VersionOverridesV1_0">
     <Hosts>
       <Host xsi:type="Document">
diff --git a/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.xml b/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.xml
index 49f84eb..2553ca1 100644
--- a/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.xml
+++ b/PlotDirector.WordCompanion/manifest.xml
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@
   <DefaultSettings>
     <SourceLocation DefaultValue="https://localhost:7296/word-companion"/>
   </DefaultSettings>
-  <Permissions>Restricted</Permissions>
+  <!-- ReadDocument is required for the companion to read Word paragraphs, selection context,
+       and document body content. It does not grant document write access. -->
+  <Permissions>ReadDocument</Permissions>
   <VersionOverrides xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/taskpaneappversionoverrides" xsi:type="VersionOverridesV1_0">
     <Hosts>
       <Host xsi:type="Document">