Some PDFs are meant for sharing and collaborative work from the start. Others, however, need to remain static and unchanging for accuracy, reliability, or accountability purposes. You may not want someone to be able to alter essential passages in a document, for example. When you have a PDF that you need to lock down, can you simply use software such as Microsoft Word to quickly open the file and tick some setting that will make it non-editable?
Unfortunately, no. You cannot make a non-editable PDF in Word itself. That software does not have the built-in capabilities for working with the special characteristics of the format you need to restrict editing and copying. To do so, you'll need to find the right program that can help you accomplish this task. The right PDF tools are a must-have when you need to manipulate this document format.
Options such as Tungsten Power PDF make it easy to access all the features and functions you need, including document security that will prevent anyone from making edits.
If you want to ensure that no one can access the document or make any changes without first receiving a password from you, consider securing the entire document. Without this password, it won’t be easy for even a motivated user to break past the security and convert the document.
Using Power PDF, you can set “password on open” permissions in just a few steps. Here’s how to secure a PDF once you’ve opened it:
- Open the security tab, then locate manage security and click “Modify.”
- Click “Allow Document Opening Only by Password.”
- Use the edit box for the document open password to set your security phrase.
- Click ok and confirm the password.
Related post: How to create and manage PDF security with Power PDF
If you want users to retain access to the document’s contents but you specifically want to lock down the opportunity to convert files, setting permission passwords is the better option. This will keep your PDF viewable and ensure that unauthorized users can’t make changes or conversions. To lock down the editing function no matter what program someone uses to view the document. The process is similar to how to make a PDF secure:
- From Security, click “Manage Security.”
- Click “Set a password to restrict editing of security settings” to prevent tampering.
- Set the restrictions you wish to limit, such as copying.
- Click ok to save your settings.
If a user tries to convert the document and can only supply the open password, the conversion attempt will fail. Only using both the open and permissions password will allow for any changes, so you can enjoy two layers of protection.
A secure PDF file can be an important line of defense against improper use of your materials. While a dedicated user could still find ways to copy some text from your document, they may not be able to convert the file entirely. With Power PDF, applying these protections and safeguarding your information is as easy as just a few simple steps.
Make work and innovation easier when you tap into software solutions for PDF editing built with speed, stability and user-friendliness in mind. Get started today when you download a 15-day trial of Power PDF for free and see how easy it is to manage modern document security.