Password Protection

You can add a password to a PDF to limit access and restrict certain features, such as printing, copying and editing.

There are two kinds of passwords that could be applied to a PDF file: a Document Open password and a Permissions password. When you set a Document Open password, anyone who tries to open the PDF must type in the password that you specified. When you set a Permissions password, anyone who wants to change the restrictions must type the Permissions password. Please note that if a PDF is secured with both types of passwords, it can be opened with either password, but only the Permissions password allows you to change the restrictions.

Tips: 

1. There’s no way out to recover password from the PDF if you forgot it. To keep a backup copy of the PDF that isn’t password-protected is a good choice.

2. Foxit PDF Editor allows you to input Unicode password in the password input box when you open a document protected by Unicode password.

Add a password security

1. Choose Protect > Secure Document > Password Protect, or click File > Properties > Security and choose Password Protection from the drop-down list.

2. In the Password Protection dialog box, do the following:

Document Open Settings:

Require a password to open the document – selects to require users to type the password you specify to open the document.

Password Input: specifies a password that users must type to open the document.

Password Confirm: type the password again to confirm the password.

Document Restriction Settings:

Add Document Restriction – restricts actions to PDFs, such as printing, editing, etc.

Password Input: specifies a password that is required to change the permissions settings. If the file is opened in Foxit PDF Editor, the user can view the file but must enter the permissions password to change the file’s security and permissions settings.

Password Confirm: type the password again to confirm the password.

Permission Specification:

The security details you specified are shown on the left. Click Permission to set the restriction settings. In the Permission Settings dialog box, check Restrict printing and editing of the document and its security settings and then select the options as needed.

Print Allowed – specifies the level of printing which users are allowed for the PDF.

A.        Print with low resolution – allows users to print at no higher than 150-dpi resolution.

B.        Print with high resolution – allows users to print with any resolution.

Changes Allowed – defines which editing actions are allowed in the document.

A.        Inserting, deleting, and rotating pages – allows users to insert, delete, and rotate PDF pages.

B.        Filling in forms and signing existing signature fields – allows users to fill in forms and sign documents in existing signatures fields.

C.        Commenting, filling in forms and signing existing signature fields – allows users to add comments, fill in forms and sign documents in existing signatures fields.

D.        Any except extracting pages – allows users to do any operation but extract pages. If you choose this option when encrypting a PDF portfolio, users are allowed to add, create, and remove files in the PDF portfolio.

Enable copying of text, images, and other content – allows users to copy content in PDFs.

Enable text access for screen reader devices for the visually impaired – allows the visually impaired users to access text with screen reader devices.

Encrypt Settings:

Encryption Algorithm- defines data transformations that cannot be easily reversed by unauthorized users. Foxit PDF Editor supports 128-bit AES, 256-bit AES and 128-bit ARC-FOUR.

Don’t encrypt metadata – encrypts the contents of a PDF but still allow search engines access to the document metadata.

Save the setting as a new policy – save the current security settings as a policy so that you can apply it to other documents.

3. Click Ok and save the document to make setting take effect.

Modify password and security settings

1. Choose Protect > Secure Document > Security Properties, or choose File > Properties.

2. In the Security tab for the document properties, click Change Settings.

3. Do the settings as the instruction on "Add a password security" and then click OK.

Remove password and security settings

To remove password and security settings from a PDF file, you must have the permissions to do so.

1. Open a PDF file, and choose either way of the following to remove password and security settings.

• Choose Protect > Secure Document > Remove Security.

• Choose Protect > Secure Document > Security Properties, or choose File > Properties. In the Security tab for the document properties, choose No Protection from Security Method menu.

2. A Foxit Security message box will prompt to ask whether you are sure to remove security from this document.