Protect PDF
Add password protection and permission restrictions to PDF documents.
Overview
The Protect PDF tool encrypts a PDF document with password-based security. You can set an open password (required to view the document) and an owner password (required to change security settings). Additionally, you can restrict permissions such as printing, copying text, and editing.
How to Use
- Navigate to Protect PDF from the Security & Optimization menu.
- Upload your file using drag-and-drop, Browse Files, or cloud storage (Dropbox / Google Drive).
- Set passwords and configure permission restrictions.
- Click Protect to process.
- Download the result when processing completes.
Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Open password | A password that must be entered to open and view the document. Leave blank to allow anyone to open the file. |
| Owner password | A password required to change security settings and permissions. |
| Encryption | Choose the encryption strength: 128-bit AES or 256-bit AES. |
| Allow printing | Enable or disable printing of the document. |
| Allow copying | Enable or disable copying text and images from the document. |
| Allow editing | Enable or disable modifications to the document. |
| Allow form filling | Enable or disable filling in form fields. |
Tips & Notes
Use 256-bit AES encryption for the strongest protection. Always use a strong owner password even if you don't set an open password, as the owner password controls permission enforcement.
Permission restrictions rely on the PDF viewer honouring them. For truly secure content protection, consider using Redact PDF to permanently remove sensitive content.
Related tools: Redact PDF · Add Watermark · TDMRep Protection