How to Protect PDF With or Without Password?
PDFs are more likely to become a digital or business format, widely used for sharing sensitive information such as financial statements, legal contracts, payment records, etc. Here, the growing number of data breaches is a grave concern for individuals and professionals. Many of you might look for how to protect PDF with password or even without password security. This comprehensive guide covers everything for all uses. Whether you’re a researcher, a business worker, or any professional enthusiast, you can learn how to password protect a PDF file. So, let’s dive into it.
Can I Password Protect PDF Files?
Yes, professionals can simply password protect PDFs. Moreover, setting a password on a document is becoming a need of the hour. It is helpful for secure management or distribution of PDFs over online platforms.
Plus, malicious entities are constantly lurking in this hyper-connected world. The digital network deeply scans your documents; sharing them unprotected can widen the risk of theft and loss of data.
Hence, it is suggested to convert PDF to locked PDF to protect documents like financial statements, bank PDFs, legal files, and more. It prevents direct access and makes your content unreadable for unauthorized users. In this way, no one can alter your data without legitimate permission. Now, let’s move to understand the types of protection.
What is Password Protection in PDF?
PDF password protection is mainly used to safeguard sensitive documents from violation. Many industries or professionals like business corporations, healthcare, government, etc, utilize these protections to stop unauthorized actions. Here are the common types of PDF password protection for ensuring document security:
- Open PDF Password (User Level Password):- This type of protection needs a correct passkey to access the document. In the absence of a password, you can’t open or view the content; it ensures that viewers with legitimate passwords can open the document without making any further changes.
- Owner Level Restriction:- Despite password protection, creators can impose necessary prohibitions like editing, text copying, commenting, printing, and annotations. In this way, you can protect PDF without password, making the file remain unchanged.
Why Use PDF Password Protection?
In a world where everyone desires data over money, protecting PDFs is no longer optional. Whether you’re sending transaction history, client feedback, invoices, etc., setting the password protection on the document is necessary. This small preventive step can save you from falling into a big trap.
Here are the typical benefits of password protecting the PDF files:
- Safeguard Content: PDF password protection meticulously protects the confidentiality of the document. In this way, the creator can share the data to legitimate users with data protection or security.
- Restrict Specific Actions: Document creators put specific prohibitions on PDFs. It includes limited access, such as modifying, content copying, printing pages, and adding text to PDF documents.
- Meet with Data Protection Compliance: An organisation that handles confidential data needs to meet with data protection compliance, such as GDPR or HIPAA. Here, using the types of password protect a PDF file enables users to secure data.
- Preventing Malicious/ Suspicious Intent: Without applying password protection, hackers can extract any information using online tools or advanced scripts. After setting the protection, you can stop malicious actors from altering data. So, ensure the security of your PDFs from intruders.
Overall, PDF password protection is considered a crucial tactic to safeguard secret information. Now, let’s move on to understand how to protect a PDF file with password to prevent data modification.
Guide for How to Protect PDF With/ Without Password Securely
- Run SysTools PDF Lock Software on your Win OS.
- From “Add Files” or “Add Folders” > choose any.
- “Change” feature to browse the location of file > Next.
- In the Apply Document Open Password > Create password.
- To protect PDF without password, choose Change Apply Document Permissions.
- Now, set the required limitations and provide confirmation.
- After this, confirm the passkey > press the Lock icon.
Watch a Video on How to Protect PDF File With Password
How to Password Protect PDF File – 5 Top Methods
Whether you’re a Windows or macOS user, we will provide methods for both. If you’re wondering how to protect PDF with password, here are the 5 effective techniques you should know. Using these methods, you can protect PDF document for different platforms. Additionally, it facilitates users to share confidential documents with legitimate users while protecting them.
Now, follow the guide for how to create password protected PDF:
1. Password Protected PDF File with Word
2. Mac Preview for Protecting PDF on macOS
3. Online PDF Protection Tool
4. Adobe Acrobat to Password Protect PDF
5. SysTools PDF Pro Software – The Ultimate Way
Now, let’s understand these methods in detail.
#1 How to Protect PDF File With Password Using Office Word
Wondering how to protect a PDF file with password? Consider Office products like Microsoft Word. It is a simple and handy way to allow password security on PDF documents. Here, it is important to understand that this is not a standalone or dedicated solution for imposing password protection on any sensitive document. Here are the steps to protect PDF file with password using Microsoft Word:
- Open the required PDF > Open With > Word.
- Under Review > pick Restrict Editing.
- Tab “Allow only this type of editing in the document” > pick No security.
- After this, add Password > tab Yes, start enforcing protection.
- Lastly, go to File and then, Save As > PDF file.
Looks simple! Unfortunately, it is not an ideal way to protect the content of PDF files. Here are the other limitations of this method.
#2 How to Password Protect a PDF File Mac – Use Mac Preview
Struggling with how to protect PDF with password Mac, use the built-in application, i.e., Preview. This free and fast-performing application ensure PDF password protection without installing Adobe Acrobat. Now, follow the steps for how to password protect PDF on macOS using the Preview App:
- Start by accessing the PDF in Mac Preview.
- From the top Menu > select feature > File.
- Use the button, i.e. Export > tap “Encrypt“.
- Now, create a complex password > re-enter it.
- Lastly, save a new file > press the Save button.
#3 How to Protect PDF With Password Online – Try Free Online Tools
Microsoft Word fails when protecting the PDF document. Instead, online PDF password protection tools such as iLovePDF, Smallpdf, etc. These services are comparatively compatible and completely free. Using these tools, you can add complex passwords and secure your document from any digital vulnerabilities. Here is the step-by-step guide for how to protect PDF file with password:
- On your PC, search for any of these online services.
- “Add Files” > add the document from the computer.
- In the display bar, set the strong passkey > Protect PDF.
- Lastly, tab on download protected PDFs.
Online tools add convenience in protecting sensitive documents with a passkey. However, there are major limitations behind using these services to create password protected PDF file. Now, let’s take a look below.
#4 How to Password Protect a PDF File Using Adobe Acrobat
If you’re seeking how to create a password protected PDF file, consider Adobe Acrobat, one of the standalone software programs for protecting documents. This amazing tool is capable of creating strong password protection on PDFs. Additionally, you can enable owner-level permissions like editing, content copying, and printing of pages. In this way, you can handle documents with protection. Here are the steps to protect PDF with password using Acrobat:
- Install the Adobe Acrobat on your Win & Mac operating system.
- Find Properties and look for Security > enable Password Security.
- After this, create a complex password > enter OK.
- Now, download the password protected document.
#5 How to Protect PDF File With Password – Try SysTools PDF Pro Tool
Searching for how to password protect PDF file without Acrobat, install the SysTools PDF Protecting solution. It is the best all-in-one and powerful software solution that supports all kinds of PDF protection, including password and owner limitations. It leverages the document creator to create a strong and complex passkey to secure the document. Additionally, you can add document permissions like editing, copying, and printing to control access.
Some of the prime features of this robust tool include secure document integrity and compliance with data protection standards. Here are the other highlights of this pro software:
- Supports advanced PDF password protection.
- Allows you to add PDF encryption like 256-AES.
- Capable of perverse all the PDF formatting.
- It is a work-saving and tested software solution.
Guide for How to Password Protect a PDF File With Password
- Install the SysTools suggested advanced tool.
- Go to “Add Files” or “Add Folders” to browse files.
- Under Change > choose the location of file > Next.
- Find “Apply Document Open Password” > Enter Password.
- After this, confirm the passkey > tab Lock button.
Things to Always Remember:
- Please keep your password complex, and don’t simplify it like Name1234.
- Make a document backup before setting the password on the PDF file.
- Ensure that the PDF is shared with the rightful users to limit access.
Previously, we explained how to protect PDF with password. Many professionals password protect a PDF document to maintain secrecy and privacy. However, passwords can be compromised using free online tools; this means that security can be breached at any time.
Now, you might be wondering about other ways to ensure document safety. Follow this detailed guide to learn how to protect PDF without password protection. Also, you will discover why password security is outdated nowadays. So, let’s discover methods for how to secure PDF without password.
Do PDF Passwords Still Offer Strong Security?
Many believe that passwords are the ubiquitous or best defensive way of protecting PDFs from digital or online vulnerabilities. But not anymore, passwords mean more data compromise and a lack of security.
Moreover, securing your PDF document with strong passwords is a major disadvantage. Take a look below:
- Forgot PDF password is easy, which means frustration and workflow delays.
- Every time you need to share the document password. The chances of data leakage and risk are high, as anyone can change the password and distribute it to unauthorised viewers.
- These days, free online tools are quite powerful for recovering the document password, making it easier to crack.
In simple words, password security is synonymous with No Safety. Below are the other reasons why save protected PDF without password:
- Difficulty in Managing Passwords: Tracking or managing passwords every time is not easy; instead, it is a tedious task.
- Social Engineering or Brute Force Techniques: Social engineering or brute force tactics are popular for revealing the passkey. Hence, protect the PDF document without a password to ensure safety.
Why Protect PDF Without Password?
Saving the protected PDF without a password offers advantages, including file integrity and maintaining the document’s originality. Moreover, the PDF documents mainly accept two modes of security, i.e. password and owner permissions.
Since we have previously explained the disadvantages of using traditional passwords, so, use the owner restrictions to save protected PDF without password. It allows you to set specific permissions for editing, text copying, printing, and more. Here are the benefits to secure PDF without password:
- Revoke the Action of Editing and Tampering with PDF: Applying the permissions in PDF can revoke actions of editing, text extraction, copying, and printing. It is a more reliable way of controlling document access to prevent unauthorised changes.
- Safeguard PDF Integrity: Protecting PDF without password enables restrictions, which help prevent modification and other changes. This way, you can preserve the official yet critical documents, business reports, and other financial statements from data theft.
- Share PDF With Restrictions: Controlling the ability to copy, print, and assemble content offers more safety than a password. Here, you can share the document without worry, as viewers can access the content. This way, you can make PDF read only document.
Overall, cracking the password is simple; instead, protect PDF without password is an effective and balanced approach for regulating and revoking the viewer’s access to the PDF document.
3 Best Ways How to Save Protected PDF Without Password
In the following section, we will discover the free to advanced techniques to protect PDF without password to ensure great control. It helps you to sell PDF documents online with more safety and protection.
This way, you can improve transparency and won’t need to manage or directly provide passwords to anyone. Below are the ways on how to protect PDF file without password:
1. Adobe Acrobat Pro Software to Apply Document Protection
2. Locklizard Tool to Safeguard PDF
3. SysTools Pro Software – The Advanced Way
Now, let’s understand these methods one after another.
#1 How to Save Protected PDF Without Password – Adobe Acrobat Pro Software
The question of how to protect PDF file without password is still the same, as online tools aren’t the right option. Here, try Adobe Acrobat Pro software to protect files with major restrictions. The tool is effective for securing PDFs by revoking the actions of editing, text copying, page printing, and more. This software provides the freedom to apply necessary protection instead of a password.
Using this advanced utility, you can save the protected PDF passwordlessly. Additionally, the tool maintains privacy and is the best choice for industrial or official work. Here are the steps to download protected PDF without password using Acrobat tool:
- On the system, install and start processing Adobe Acrobat Pro Tool.
- Look for “File” and the “Tool” option from the interface.
- Tab Security and enable document permissions.
- Now, set the limitations like editing, copying, etc.
- After this, press the OK button and save the PDF.
- Finally, you can safeguard the PDF without a password.
Adobe Acrobat is commonly known as a premium tool with a high price tag. Here, the plans are based on subscriptions that are quite expensive for professionals or any business worker. Furthermore, the tool features are cumbersome, stealing productivity when saving a protected PDF that is passwordless.
#2 Locklizard Tool to Protect PDF Without Password Protection
To save protected PDF without password, Locklizard’s software is the third solution in a row. This professional tool is helpful for safeguarding the PDF from unauthorised editing, printing, content copying, and more. The other dynamic features include self-destruction or automatic expiry. Most importantly, it allows you to add background watermarks before sending the files.
Since passwords are getting older as a way of securing PDFs, with Locklizard software, you can set advanced file limitations, i.e., expiration fixed date or other DRM security. This way, no one can make any changes to the document by sharing or distributing it with them.
Remember, Locklizard is another expensive software like Adobe Acrobat. The cost of the plans is extravagant for all users. Before using the tool, you need to spend hours just to get a 360-degree overview, resulting in chaos. So, move down to find the best alternative.
#3 How to Save Protected PDF Without Password – SysTools Pro Utility
To protect PDF file without password, SysTools PDF Locker wins all the points. The software primarily works with the Windows OS. Compared to Locklizard and Adobe Acrobat, this tool is independent, fast, and cost-effective. Moreover, it allows you to set the popular document protection that revokes the action of editing, text extraction, copying, printing, and more.
Besides this, you can apply other advanced protection, i.e., strong encryption such as AES-256 and AES-128. It makes the data unreadable and scrambled. With this, there is no fear of password exchange. Now, let’s dive to learn the steps.
Instant Guide for How to Save Protected PDF File Without Password
- Download the SysTools mentioned tool on your Windows machine.
- Use the “Add Files or Folders” feature to upload PDFs.
- Tab “Change” option to instantly browse the location for the resultant file.
- Go to “Apply Document Restriction” > set limitations.
- Now, enter the protection > reuse it.
- Lastly, hit the Lock button and save secured PDF without password.
FAQs on How to Protect PDF Files?
Q. Can I password protect an existing PDF files?
Yes, you can protect your existing PDF document with protection, especially a password. Use online, Adobe Acrobat, and even SysTools Pro software to safeguard sensitive data with a password.
Q. How to password protect PDF free?
To protect PDF documents, visit free online PDF websites like Smallpdf, PDF24 Tools, iLovePDF, Sejda Tools, etc. These online platforms support batch processing to protect files. With simple drag & drop, you can download the protected PDF without loss.
Q. How to Protect PDF Without Password Online?
If you’re seeking how to save protected PDF without password protection, online PDF tools are among the best and go-to choices. Some popular platforms are iLovePDF, PDF24 Creators, Smallpdf, etc. Follow the steps for protecting PDFs without password online:
- Visit free online websites like iLovePDF.
- Drag or drop the PDF into the software interface.
- Apply the necessary document permissions.
- Now, press the icon, i.e. Lock and then save the file instantly.
Wrap Up!
In this guide, we have shared 8 ways to protect PDF with password and passwordless. By following these methods, you can secure the document and prevent unauthorized access. Here, we recommend you choose the SysTools PDF file protecting tool for protecting the document with a password in batch mode. Additionally, you can use the tool to make the PDF secure beyond a password. Hence, you can simply protect PDF without password protection. So, use the different modes of password protection to safeguard your data now!