How To Protect PDFs from Editing and Copying

PDF documents are considered the finest and easiest way to share content. The format is supposed to be super safe, as the chances of people manipulating it are lower. This is also why PDFs are used as the standard format in corporate and official matters. However, even the best security strategy is vulnerable if not implemented properly. The same goes for PDF protection. 

A PDF document is meant to keep the formatting standardized across platforms; however, it is still vulnerable to editing and manipulation. One of the biggest concerns of users is how to prevent PDFs from being edited and copied.

By the end of this post, we will discuss some key factors in protecting your PDF documents and how you can make the most of them. We will also be focussing on some extended methods that can help you keep your documents safe and away from unwanted edits. Without further ado, let’s jump straight into it!

Why Protect Your PDF Documents? What Makes it Vulnerable

PDF is a format generally used to share documents that require intact formatting. Such documents are usually official and significant to the user interacting with them. You might have seen multiple reports, letters, circulars, etc., being shared in PDF format. That is because the integrity of these papers matters, and a person sharing a PDF does not necessarily want you to make any changes to it. 

However, you may be aware that today, you can edit PDF documents on your smartphone or PC in multiple ways. With software like Systweak PDF Editor, Adobe Acrobat Pro, etc., making changes has become super easy. While this software does add convenience for a user, allowing them to make last-minute changes without finding the original Word document, many users use it to manipulate the documents as they see fit. Hence, additional protection is necessary for your PDF documents. 

Some of the core reasons you should protect your PDF documents from editing and copying are – 

• Unintended Plagiarism: It often happens when a PDF document is intended for a project/assignment submission. A person possessing your PDF can easily use it to plagiarize the content by copying your entire hard work.
• Content/Data Tempering: Changing the values in a PDF file can lead to disasters you never would have thought of. Hence, if your PDF file is not protected from editing and copying, it can easily become a victim of Content/Data tampering.
• Data Theft: If you are sharing your personal information in a form and thinking that using the PDF format for the same is enough to keep it safe, think about it again. All your data might be up for grabs if the document you have shared is not copy-protected.
• Unauthorized Access: While curating an official document, several users create a USP that helps the receiver identify the sender. It is usually a company logo or credentials. And if these credentials are leaked, anyone can create authentic-looking documents by copying your credentials from the PDF.

 While the above factors concern users, do not pay attention to them while creating a PDF. Hence, the documents become vulnerable. The more confidential information your PDF has, the higher the vulnerability of your document. 

Fortunately, there are multiple ways you can get rid of this vulnerability and protect PDFs from editing and copying. Check them out in the next section!

How to Keep PDFs from Editing & Copying

Now that you know it is unsafe to share PDF files without protecting them, the question arises of how to protect them. Well, there is password protection and encryption that you can try. However, some extra measures can also be taken to reduce the risk of unauthorized access. Some added applications can help you achieve the best results as well. Let’s look at ways external applications can help you achieve the best protection for your PDF files. 

Read Also: How to Copy Text from a Password Protected PDF

Ways to Prevent PDFs from Being Copied- 

Way #1 – Add a Layer of Password Protection

While it is a good way to protect confidential information, sometimes it can become an issue. Adding a password to access the doc often has its disadvantages. For instance, to share the doc with the intended recipient, you will eventually have to share the password. And not everyone is good at remembering passwords. So, how do you add a password? Thanks to the latest tech and advancements in security, you can now set two passwords on your PDF document.

One is the Open Password, which is required whenever you access your PDF document. This can be set when you don’t want everyone to access your file.

The other is the Permission Password, which the document’s author can set to protect the document’s confidentiality and integrity. After setting this measure, anyone accessing the document will be able to access it without a password but will require a password if they want to edit, copy, or print it. 

The easiest way to set these passwords is by using Systweak PDF Editor. Here are the steps that might help –

Step 1 – Launch Systweak PDF Editor on your PC. To install, use the following download button.

Step 2 – Select the PDF you want to protect and open it with the Systweak PDF Editor.

Step 3 – From the top bar, select Secure to find all the security options.
Step 4 – Click on the Protect icon to open the password-protect option.

Step 5 – Click on Advanced Security and you may find all the settings and permissions for printing and other changes in the document.

Step 6 – Set the password and make the changes accordingly. 

The best part is enabling or disabling the open password while keeping the permissions password in place. It can even set the compatibility of these settings as per the desired version of Acrobat, helping you to segregate users who may try to manipulate the document. Quite smart!

Way #2 – Encrypt PDFs

To ensure that no one edits or copies your PDF online or offline, you must have solid encryption. You can try professional grade encryption that Systweak PDF Editor offers by setting up the password protection as shared in the above method. However, if you are looking for a free method that keeps your PDF from copying online, you can use PDF No Copy. 

It is a free online tool that allows you to simply encrypt the contents of your PDF and keep it from being copied by a user. It generally converts your PDF into an image-based PDF, making it impossible for users to select text and copy it. It is free to use and is also available as an offline standalone application. 

To use the service, simply – 

Step 1 – Log on to the official website of PDF No Copy.
Step 2 – Click on the Start Online PDF No Copy. 

Step 3 – Select the file you wish to encrypt and use drag and drop to upload the file.

Step 4 – Click on Submit after your file is uploaded.
Step 5 – Let it process, and you will get your encrypted file to download almost instantly.

Keep in mind that this encryption only protects your PDF copy from humans. It does not protect OCR, so there are still a few loopholes. However, it can be done if the recipient is not technically advanced enough to use OCR. 

Way #3 – Create a Digital Signature for Your PDF

With a digital signature, you give your document a digital footprint of where it originated. This is a game changer if you want to beat counterfeiting of your document. With a digital signature, you can bring authenticity to your document and track if there have been any efforts to manipulate the content. 

You can add a digital signature using Systweak PDF Editor. Here’s how – 

Step 1 – Open your PDF using Systweak PDF Editor.
Step 2 – Use the top bar to navigate to Secure options.
Step 3 – Click the Digital Sign button at the top; the editor will guide you in creating a sign.

Step 4 – Create a space where you want to create the sign by using your cursor.

Step 5—After you have selected the space, you are ready to set the permissions for document security. Step 6—Enter the required information and select the type of certificate you want to add to your digital signature. Ensure you set the permission to  Restrict any changes to the document for better security.

Step 7 – Save the changes, and voila, you are done!

The idea of using a digital signature is to validate the authenticity of the document’s creator and detect if there have been any unauthorized alterations. 

Other than these extensive security measures, you can also try the following method to protect the content of your PDF from unauthorized access – 

Ways #4 – Redact Sensitive Information

Sensitive information redaction is the best way to protect your data. Redaction simply means covering the contents of your PDF with a black line to ensure that it is not readable. This is mainly used in forms with personal information like SSN, Contact Details, or Account Details. 

You can use multiple methods to redact sensitive information from your PDF. We have extensively covered them here.  

All in all, an advanced application like Systweak PDF Editor can easily protect PDFs from unauthorized editing and copying. Needless to say, some of these measures can be performed with other editors as well; however, Systweak PDF Editor offers the best convenience. 

Protecting PDFs from Unauthorized Editing and Copying is Easy!

Maintaining content privacy while using a PDF document is a must, especially when the document is being used for official purposes. Some situations present themselves out of nowhere. However, you can easily overcome them with proactiveness and an understanding of security. 

The protective measures to keep PDFs from editing & copying include – 

• Use Password Protection for Access
• Apply PDF Encryption
• Set Permissions for Editing, Printing, & Copying.
• Use a Digital Signature to Validate Credentials
• Add a Watermark for Authenticity
• Redact Crucial Information

Fortunately, Systweak PDF Editor can help you with all of them! Download and install the software now, then upgrade to the Pro version for instant access to all the security features. We hope all this information helps you keep your documents safe and secure. Let us know in the comments if you need assistance with anything else. That will be all for this post. Good luck!