How to Secure a PDF Document from Copying and Editing

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Keep your PDF file secure with this handy guide
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You can use Adobe Acrobat to restrict a user's ability to copy the contents of a PDF using a password or digital certificate. If you don't have a subscription to Adobe Acrobat, you can use a free alternative. This wikiHow will teach you how to protect a PDF from being copied.

Quick Steps

  1. Open a PDF in Adobe Acrobat.
  2. Click All tools > Protect a PDF > Encrypt with password .
  3. Check "Restrict editing and printing of document and its security settings."
  4. Uncheck "Enable copying of text, images, and other content."
  5. Select "Encrypt all documents contents."
  6. Click OK and enter the password.
  7. Save the PDF.
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Encrypting with a Password in Acrobat

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  1. You can either open your file inside Adobe Acrobat by going to File > Open or you can right-click the file in your file browser and click Open with and select Adobe Acrobat .
    • If you don't have Adobe Acrobat, you can get a 7-day free trial at https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/free-trial-download.html .
    • If you choose to encrypt with a password, you can create a password that allows people to open and view your PDF, but not allow them to edit. You can also restrict users who don't have a password from printing or copying the contents of the PDF.
    • Encrypting a PDF with a certificate allows you to specify the recipients of the file and allows you to define their level of access to the file. You can define which users are allowed to edit the PDF, which users are only allowed to view the PDF, and which users are prohibited from copying the file.
    • If you don't have a subscription to Adobe Acrobat, you can use a free program like LibreOffice to protect a PDF with a password.
  2. You'll see this towards the upper-left corner of the software window. This will display a menu panel to the left.
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  3. This allows you to restrict copying, printing, and editing of the PDF using a password.
    • If you are asked if you want to change the security settings, click Yes .
    • If you have the digital certificate of the recipients you want to send the PDF to, you can restrict their access using a certificate , which is more secure.
  4. Use the following steps to set permissions levels for users who don't enter the password.
    • Click the checkbox next to "Restrict editing and printing of document and its security settings."
    • Select "None" for "Printing Allowed" and "Changes Allowed."
    • Ensure the checkbox next to "Enable copying of text, images, and other content" is unchecked.
  5. Enter the password you want to use next to "Change permissions password." Make sure you select a strong password. The strength of your password will be indicated by the bars to the right. A good password should contain a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.
  6. This ensures that everything about the document (including the metadata) is encrypted and only viewable to your selected recipients.
    • Alternatively, you can select "Encrypt all contents except metadata" if you want the metadata to be accessible.
  7. It's in the lower-right corner. You will be asked to enter the password.
  8. This confirms your password and sets it as a security measure for the document. [1]
    • When you're finished, save the encrypted PDF by clicking the floppy disk icon in the upper-right corner.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Encrypting with a Certificate in Acrobat

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  1. You can either open your file inside Adobe Acrobat by going to File > Open or you can right-click the file in your file browser and click Open with > Adobe Acrobat .
    • If you don't have Adobe Acrobat, you can get a 7-day free trial at https://acrobat.adobe.com/us/en/free-trial-download.html .
    • Encrypting a PDF with a certificate allows you to specify the recipients of the file and allows you to define their level of access to the file. You can define which users are allowed to edit the PDF, which users are only allowed to view the PDF, and which users are prohibited from copying the file.
  2. You'll see this towards the upper-left corner of the software window. This will display a menu panel to the left.
  3. It's in the menu panel to the left. This will display another menu panel to the left.
  4. If you know who you're sending the PDF to already and their email addresses, click "Encrypt with Certificate." If you're having trouble sharing your PDF with certificate encryption, try changing to encrypting with a password .
    • If you are asked if you want to change the security settings for the document, click Yes .
  5. This ensures that everything about the document (including the metadata) is encrypted and only viewable to your selected recipients.
    • Alternatively, you can select "Encrypt all contents except metadata" if you want the metadata to be accessible.
  6. You need to select at least one digital ID from the list.
    • If you have not created a digital ID, click Add Digital ID below the box. Select "A new digital ID I want to create now" and click Next . Select "New PKCS#12 Digital ID File" and click Next . Fill out the rest of the forms to create a new digital ID. [2]
  7. In order to do this, the users must send you a copy of their digital certificates or you can get their certificates from a certificate authority. Make sure you include your own digital certificate so that you can access the PDF. Select Browse to select digital certificates stored on your computer. Alternatively, you can use the following steps to search and add digital certificates to the file:
    • Click Search to the right.
    • Enter a name or email address in the fields below "Search."
    • Click Search .
    • Click the recipient you want to add.
    • Click OK .
  8. Use the following steps to set permissions level for a recipient and restrict their ability to copy the file.
    • Click a recipient's digital certificate in your list.
    • Click Permissions .
    • Click the checkbox next to "Restrict printing and editing of document and its security settings."
    • Select "None" for "Printing Allowed" and "Changes Allowed."
    • Ensure the checkbox next to "Enable copying of text, images, and other content" is unchecked.
    • Click OK .
  9. Once you have added all the recipients you want to share the document with and set their permission levels, click Next at the bottom of the screen. Review the summary and click Finish .
    • When you're finished, save the encrypted PDF by clicking the floppy disk icon in the upper-right corner. You can now email the document to the recipients you have chosen. [3]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Using Preview on Mac

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  1. Preview comes pre-installed on all Macs. You can use it to view photos or PDFs. To open a PDF in Preview, right-click the PDF and click Open with... Then click Preview .
  2. To do so, click File' in the menu bar at the top and then click "Export .
  3. If it's not already set to export the document as a PDF, use the drop-down menu next to "Format" to select "PDF."
  4. It's at the bottom of the Export window. This allows you to set a password and permissions for the PDF file.
  5. This is the password that users will need to enter to change the permissions for the document. Enter a password next to "Password" and then enter it again next to "Verify."
    • If you want to restrict users from viewing the PDF, click the checkbox next to "Require password to open document" and enter a separate password below this checkbox. Then verify it.
  6. Use the text boxes below "Permissions" to set the permissions for the document. To restrict text and images from being copied, ensure the checkbox next to "Copying Text or Graphics" is unchecked. You can also ensure that the checkbox next to "Printing" is unchecked to ensure printing is disabled.
    • Additionally, you can ensure the checkboxes next to "Inserting, deleting, and rotating pages," "Adding annotations or signatures," and "Filling existing forms and fields."
  7. This saves the document and applies the password settings that restrict users from copying the contents of your document. [4]
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Using LibreOffice

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  1. LibreOffice is a free and open-source office suite, similar to Microsoft Office, but free. It is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. You can use LibreOffice's Draw program to password-protect a PDF and prevent it from being copied or edited. Use the following steps to download and install LibreOffice.
  2. LibreOffice Draw is one of the programs that comes installed with LibreOffice. You can find it in your Windows Start menu or the Applications folder on Mac. It has an icon resembling a yellow page with some shapes. Once you open LibreOffice, use the following steps to open a PDF and start exporting it:
    • Click File in the menu bar at the top.
    • Click Open .
    • Select a PDF.
    • Click Open .
    • Click File in the menu bar at the top.
    • Click Export PDF
  3. It's at the top of the "PDF Options" window. This allows you to set a password to open the file and to restrict permissions.
  4. You can set a separate password to restrict users from viewing the PDF and from printing, editing, or copying the content. If you don't want to restrict users from viewing the PDF, you can leave that password field blank. Use the following steps to set a password:
    • Click Set Password .
    • Enter a password below "Set permission password."
    • Enter the password again to confirm it.
    • Enter a separate password to restrict access to viewing the file (optional).
    • Confirm the password.
    • Click Ok .
  5. These options are on the right side of the menu. This restricts people from being allowed to print the document or make changes to it.
  6. This restricts a user's ability to copy the contents of the PDF.
  7. It's in the lower-right corner.
  8. To do so, enter a name for the file next to "File name" and click Save . This saves a copy of the PDF with the password restrictions you set for it. [5]
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Common Questions: Using Read-Only PDFs

How do I make a PDF read only?

On Windows, right-click the PDF and select Properties . Check the box for Read-only and click OK . On Mac, select the PDF and click File . Click Get Info and set the access under the Sharing and Permissions tab.

How can you protect a PDF without a password?

If you don't want to set a password, you can set the document as Read-only . This allows someone to read the PDF without the power to edit the text or information within the document.

How do you know if a PDF is read only?

You'll know if a PDF is read-only by checking its properties. On Windows, right-click the PDF and click Properties . On Mac, select the PDF and click Get Info .

Tips

  • If you want to remove the encryption, you can do so in Tools > Protection > Encrypt > Remove .
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References

  1. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/securing-pdfs-passwords.html
  2. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/digital-ids.html
  3. ↑ https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/securing-pdfs-certificates.html
  4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/preview/password-protect-a-pdf-prvw587dd90f/mac
  5. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf3Xbabs3yA

About This Article

Article Summary X

1. Open your document in Acrobat.
2. Click Tools .
3. Click Protection .
4. Click Encrypt .
5. Click Encrypt with Certificate or Encrypt with Password .
6. Save the document.

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