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How to Password Protect PDF

by Online Tutorials Library

Password Protect PDF

Users must protect their important documents with passwords. Using strong passwords avoid unauthorized access to the document.

Users need to know how to protect the PDF document with a password so that PDF’s sensitive data remains confidential, and it cannot be copied or edited by anyone.

Let’s learn how to Password Protect a PDF.

Password protecting a PDF using Adobe Acrobat DC

  • Open your PDF that you want to protect with a password in Adobe Acrobat DC.

Note- Free version of Adobe Acrobat provides limited tools, so for using this tool, you need to purchase the Adobe Acrobat DC.

  • Now go to the Tools tab and click on the Protect

Password Protect PDF

  • Now click on Protect using Password

Password Protect PDF

  • Once you click on “Protect using a password“, a new dialogue box will open on the screen.

Note: Adobe Acrobat DC provides two options under Protect using Password tab, Viewing and Editing. When you select the Viewing option, users will have to enter the password to view your document, and when you select the Editing option, users will have to enter the password to do editing in your document.

Password Protect PDF

  • Select the option as per your need and type a strong password. Finally, click on the Apply button.
  • A message will pop-up on the screen showing your file as successfully protected. In this case, as I have chosen the Viewing option, so my file is protected with viewing using a password.

Password Protect PDF

  • Your PDF file will be protected and (SECURED) will be added to your file name.

Password Protect PDF

  • Now, whenever a user opens your PDF, he will have to enter the password to view your PDF.

Password protecting a PDF using Online Tools

  • Open your web browser and search for password protect
    PDF online.
  • Online tools give only a Viewing option, i.e., users will need to enter the password to view your PDF.
  • There are so many options available online, like smallpdf, pdf2go, ilovepdf, sodapdf, sejdapdf, etc.
  • Choose any of them, let’s say you choose ilovepdf, open it.
  • Click on Select PDF file and choose the PDF that you want to protect with a password.

Password Protect PDF

  • Your PDF will be uploaded. Now enter the password and reconfirm your password and finally click on the Protect PDF

Password Protect PDF

  • Your PDF will be protected with a password. Click on the Download protected PDFs button from downloading the password-protected PDF.

Password Protect PDF

  • Now, whenever you or anyone opens the PDF, they will need to enter the password.

Password Protect PDF

Password protecting a PDF using Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word 2010 and later allows you to protect an existing PDF document with a password.

  • Open your existing PDF file using MS Word.
  • Now, go to the File menu and select the Save As Click on Browse to select the location to save the PDF.

Password Protect PDF

  • A save as dialog box will open. From the Save as type, choose PDF, and define the name of the file. Click on the Options

Password Protect PDF

  • Checkmark the checkbox “Encrypt the document with a password“. Then click, OK.

Password Protect PDF

  • Enter the password according to your choice twice and then click OK.

Password Protect PDF

  • Finally, click on the Save
  • Now, whenever you open that PDF file, you will be prompted to enter the password before you can view it.

Password Protect PDF


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