When to set PDF permissions
Often the requirement is specific: printing is fine, editing is not. Distributed manuals and quotes tend to work that way.
This tool lets you switch printing, document changes, text and image copying, annotation, and form filling on or off individually.
How to use it
- 1Upload the PDF.
- 2Tick only what you want to allow. Unticking something restricts it.
- 3Enter an owner password, and an open password too if you need one.
- 4Press "Apply permissions and download" and check the result.
Common questions
- Why is an owner password required?
- The restrictions are only meaningful when they're locked behind one. Without it, anyone could simply clear the settings.
- Are the settings always respected?
- It depends on the viewer. PDF permissions are a request rather than an enforcement mechanism — most software follows them, some ignores them. If a leak would be serious, add an open password too.
- If I block printing, does that block screenshots?
- No. Anything visible on screen can be captured. Treat permissions as a way to reduce casual copying and honest mistakes, not as a hard barrier.
- Can I change the settings later?
- Yes, as long as you know the owner password. Upload the file again and save it with new settings.