Question

How to set a password to protect all PDF documents from unauthorized access, editing, and printing?

Answer

A PDF document can be protected with a Document Open password and/or Permissions Password in FineReader PDF. To apply password protection to all PDF documents, please follow the next steps:

In FineReader PDF 16:

1. Go to File > Options... > Format Settings > PDF.
2. Tick the Protect documents with passwords option.
3. The Security Settings dialogue box will open.
   
4. Type a Permissions password and confirm it.
5. From the Printing drop-down list, select a printing resolution for the document or forbid printing.
6. From the Editing drop-down list, select allowed editing operations.
7. To allow other users to copy and edit the content of the document, select the corresponding options.
8. Select an encryption level and components to encrypt.
9. To protect a document from unauthorized opening, select the Restrict access with a Document Open password option.
10. Type a Document Open password and confirm it.
    

    Note: The Document Open Password and the Permissions Password must be different.

11. Click OK.
12. Save PDFs using the Save As option to apply the changes.

Note: When sending the protected documents to other users, please be aware that some products may not fully support the selected restrictions and may allow their users to bypass them.

In FineReader PDF 15:

1. Go to Tools > Options... > Format Settings > PDF > Protect documents with passwords.
2. The Security Settings dialogue box will open.
3. Type a Permissions password and confirm it.
4. From the Printing drop-down list, select a printing resolution for the document or forbid printing.
5. From the Editing drop-down list, select allowed editing operations.
6. To allow other users to copy and edit the content of the document, select the corresponding options.
7. Select an encryption level and components to encrypt.
8. To protect a document from unauthorized opening, select the Restrict access with a Document Open password option.
9. Type a Document Open password and confirm it.
   

   Note: The Document Open Password and the Permissions Password must be different.

10. Click OK.
11. Save PDFs using the Save As option to apply the changes. 

Note: When sending the protected documents to other users, please be aware that some products may not fully support the selected restrictions and may allow their users to bypass them.

Additional information

Passwords and permissions 

Protecting individual documents from unauthorized access, editing, and printing in FineReader PDF