26. Secure a PDF File with Password Protection See Also  28 Create a Digital ID 30 Add a Digital ID Signature
By default, new PDF files are not secure. This means that anyone can open, view, print, or make changes to the file. Adding password protection allows you to limit who can open the file, as well as what they can do with it once they have it open . Acrobat provides both powerful and flexible document security, giving you a wide variety of options, including opening the file; printing, copying, and extracting data; adding comments; filling in form data; altering forms; providing access for the disabled; and setting a level of encryption. | 1. | View Security Settings From the File menu, select Document Properties . In the Document Properties dialog box, click the Security tab. This tab is divided into two sections. The Document Security section contains controls for changing the document's security settings, whereas the Document Restrictions Summary section lets you know what the viewer will and will not be allowed to do with the current security settings.    | | 2. | Apply Password Security
From the Security Method pop-up, select Password Security . This launches the Password Security - Settings dialog box. In the Compatibility drop-down list, select Acrobat 7 and Later . This ensures the highest encryption level. In the Select Document Components to Encrypt section, select whether you want to encrypt all document contents (the default option), all document contents except metadata, or only file attachments.
| | 3. | Create a Password
If you want to prevent anyone from opening the document without a password, click the Require a Password to Open the Document check box and enter a password in the Document Open Password field.
If you want to restrict what someone can do with the document, click the Use a Password to Restrict Printing and Editing of the Document and Its Security Settings check box and enter a password in the Permissions Password field. Select which types of printing and changes you want to allow from the Printing Allowed and Changes Allowed drop-down lists. Click the appropriate check boxes to enable or disable copying the contents of the document or text access for screen readers.
Note that you can apply both open password and permission password protection to the same document. You must use different passwords for each of these types of document protection.
| | 4. | Confirm the Password Click the OK button to apply your password protection. You are immediately prompted to confirm your password. If you set a document open password, enter it in the Document Open Password field and click the OK button. If you set a permissions password, enter it in the Permissions Password field and click the OK button. Click OK at the third party and save reminder dialog boxes that appear. TIP  | When choosing a password, try to make it unique. Incorporate letters and numbers so only you will know the password. Make sure the password is one you will remember, or write it down and keep it in a secret place. Too many people use family, friends , or pet names that make their password easy to guess. | To test the passwords, save the file and then close and reopen it. Enter the correct password to open the file. To change security settings, click the File menu and select Document Properties . In the Document Properties dialog box, click the Security tab and click the Change Settings button. You are prompted for the document's permissions password. Enter it and you are able to remove or modify the document's security settings. |  |
