How to create and share files that can’t be edited or altered — Password protect PDFs.

Are you trying to figure out how to protect a PDF so it can’t be changed? Good for you. There is a lot of work that goes into document creation. So, knowing that you can safely and securely send a PDF file and not risk having the contents changed is important. Creating read-only PDFs and adding layers of PDF security to keep your content as you intended is easy to do. Read on to learn how to do so with Adobe Acrobat.

What you’ll learn

• When to restrict PDF editing
• Types of PDF documents to protect
• Options for PDF protection
• How to protect a PDF file with Adobe Acrobat

When to restrict PDF editing.

There are various situations where you may find it appropriate and necessary to prevent others from editing or altering the contents of a PDF file. Your decision to restrict the editing of a PDF file may depend on the intended use of your PDF file and the nature of your content.

For example, you may want to allow people to edit a PDF, but with the restriction of being able to add comments only. Or you might want to be able to request signatures on a PDF file, but ensure that it is a read-only PDF file that others cannot edit or make any alterations to at all

Also, many industries and sectors have specific requirements and standards to meet for document security and integrity. In Australia and New Zealand, your organization may have to comply with AS/NZS Standards for documentation. Preventing PDF documents from being edited can help organisations comply with any industry standards and mitigate the risk of non-compliance and unwanted and unauthorised document changes.

Types of PDF documents to protect.

Some of the different types of documents and scenarios where you might apply PDF protection to prevent anyone from altering a document include —

• Forms and templates.
  PDF documents that have been created as fillable forms or templates to compile standardized documents will benefit from editing restrictions. PDF protection prevents any accidental or intentional changes that could lead to errors. This will help to ensure you have consistency in how you collect data in forms and complete any other standardized documents, such as reports. PDF forms and templates might include, for example —
  • application forms
  • client/customer information forms
  • employee forms
  • incident report templates
  • and so on.

• Reports and publications.
  Document protection is usually applied to any type of report or publication to preserve the content. PDF reports and publications might include, for example —
  • financial reports
  • research reports
  • annual reports
  • audit findings
  • project proposals
  • and more.

• Official records, documents, and certificates.
  Any documents that serve as official records should be protected to prevent any unauthorised changes. PDF records, documents and certificates might include, for example —
  • invoices to clients
  • diplomas and certificates
  • academic transcripts
  • identification documents
  • passports
  • driver’s licenses
  • birth, marriage, and divorce certificates
  • and more.

• Legal documents and contracts.
  Contracts, agreements, legal notices, and other legally binding documents should typically be protected from editing to prevent unauthorised changes that could invalidate their terms or alter their meaning. PDF contracts and legal documents might include, for example —
  • employment contracts
  • partnership agreements
  • non-disclosure agreements
  • contractor agreements
  • lease agreements
  • rental contracts
  • and more.

• Confidential information.
  PDFs containing sensitive or confidential information and personal data should be protected to prevent unauthorized modifications that could compromise confidentiality. You can also add password protection to a PDF to ensure only those with the correct password can open the file and view the contents. PDFs that contain sensitive and confidential information might include, for example —
  • employee information
  • financial records
  • proprietary business information
  • and more.

• Finalised documents.
  After the contents of a PDF document have been finalised and approved for distribution, adding editing restrictions to the final version of a PDF helps to ensure that no further changes are made to the content and your recipients receive the version you intend them to. PDFs in this category might include —
  • Policy documents
  • Procedure manuals
  • User guides
  • Training and reference materials

• Historical documents and records.
  Historical documents and records should have restricted editing to maintain the document’s authenticity. PDF records and historical documents and records might include, for example —
  • Tax records that you need to archive for a set number of years
  • Journals, diaries, reports, and records that record key business or personal events
  • Newspaper articles.

Options for PDF protection.

Password protect PDFs and choose from different options and levels of PDF security to restrict others from opening and viewing, editing, copying, and/or printing your file.

You can encrypt PDFs with passwords and encrypt PDFs with certificates using Adobe Acrobat. Each of these helps to maintain the integrity of your PDF file and its contents and can be used in isolation or in combination with specific settings to prevent changes to your PDF files.

How to password protect a PDF file.

There are a few ways to access PDF security settings with Adobe Acrobat. You can password protect a PDF online. Or in an Adobe Acrobat application -

• Go to the Menu and select Protection > Security properties, or
• From the Tools menu, select Protect a PDF > Set Security Properties.

You’ll then see this screen.

• Security Methods.
  The first three options to select from in the security methods dropdown menu are —
  • No Security.
    No restrictions will be applied to your PDF file. People who open your file will be able to edit, comment, make changes, print, and copy your PDF file.
  • Password Security.
    In the password security settings, you have two options to apply to your document.
    You’re able to select just one or both, depending on your needs.
    • If you want to restrict who can open your PDF, go to “Document Open” and select the option “Require a password to open the document.”
    • If you want to restrict who can make changes, print, or copy the content of your PDF, go to “Permissions,” and select from the options listed.
      • To prevent PDF printing, select “None.” Or you can choose to allow low- or high-resolution printing only.
      • To prevent PDF changes, select “None.” Or you can select from options to limit changes to —
        • inserting, deleting, and rotating pages
        • filling in form fields and signing existing signature fields
        • commenting, filling in form fields and signing existing signature fields.
        • Any, except extracting pages.
      • To prevent copying of text, images, and other content, leave this box unchecked. Tick it if you want to enable people to do this with your PDF content.
  • Certificate Security.
    Use PDF certificate security when you’re sharing PDF files with others, and you want to reassure your recipients that the document has come from you. You have the option to use an existing digital ID or create a new one with your name, organization, and email. You then add your recipients before sharing the file and adjust individual settings and restrictions on printing, copying, and making changes as needed.

And remember, always choose a strong password that uses a combination of letters and numbers and keep it somewhere safe so you too can access your file and settings when you need to.

Explore further what you can do with PDF files with Adobe Acrobat online, and make the most of the free trial of Adobe Acrobat Pro to try out features that will help you create and edit PDF documents.

Related content.

Keep exploring! Some of our articles related to helping you with PDF document creation and security include —

• Locking it Down — How Secure are PDF Passwords?
• PDF Security: Protect Your Sensitive Content and Information
• Create and Manage Digital Contracts and Forms with Interactive PDFs
• Document Reviews and Collaborations — Make It Efficient and Effective with PDFs