One of the reasons PDFs are so popular, especially among lawyers and other legal professionals, is that they are accurate and (for the most part) unalterable versions of documents that were once only available on paper. As a result, because PDFs often hold information that we want to keep private, they can also be password-protected.
How to password-protect your PDFs
There are a variety of ways you can password-protect a PDF file. If you use a Mac, you can use the Preview app that comes with macOS. If you use a Windows PC, it’s a little more involved; you can use the Word app (assuming you’ve got a paid-for version), or you can use an online app by Adobe (the company that created the format).
Here are step-by-step directions to help you protect your PDFs with one of these methods.
Password-protect a PDF file on a Mac using Preview
Apple has provided password protection for PDF files with its Preview app, making the process very easy. Here’s all you have to do:
- Open the PDF file in Preview
- In the top menu, select File Edit Permissions…
- You’ll then get a pop-up menu that will allow you to create a password to open the document, along with a separate “Owner Password” separate password to make changes in, or perform tasks using, the document. These changes include printing, copying, inserting or deleting pages, adding annotations or signatures, or filling in forms.
- Just click on the Apply button, and you’re done.