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By Li ZhangUpdated on December 17, 2022
Usually we only have the demand for reading PDF files with a dedicated reader tool. But there are PDF file editors that are able to be used to edit and modify the contents of these PDF files, therefore, encrypting PDF files with a password is very important. When you password protect a PDF file, it helps you protect your private information and sensitive data, anyone cannot read or edit your PDF file without a password.
3 Methods to Password Protect PDF Files
Here are three PDF encryption methods for you to password protect PDF documents, both is the easiest and effective ways to password protect your PDF documents. I am going to show you how to encrypt a PDF file steps by steps.
CONTENTS
Since most of the users are using Adobe Acrobat or Adobe Reader to create and edit PDF files, so first of all, I’d like to show you how to password protect within Adobe software. Here are the steps for encrypting your PDF.
Option 1. One-click to Add Password
Step 1. Open the target PDF file in Adobe Acrobat.
Step 2. Go to File > Protect Using Password, or you can go to Tools > Protect > Protect Using Password.
Step 3. Select whether you want to require the user to enter a password for viewing or editing. Then type a password, re-type the same password as a confirmation.
Note: The password you enter should be at least six characters long. The longer and more complex your password is, the stronger password strength it will be.
Step 4. Click Apply. Adobe will send you a confirmation message, saying that your file was successfully protected with a password.
Option 2. Advanced Password Protection
Step 1. Open the target PDF file and choose Tools > Protection > Encrypt > Encrypt with Password.
Step 2. You will see a prompt, click Yes to change the security.
Step 3. Tick the Require a password to open the document option. Enter your password.
Step 4. Select an Acrobat version from the Compatibility drop-down menu. Choose a version equal to or lower than the recipients' version of Acrobat or Reader.
- Acrobat 6.0 And Later (PDF 1.5) encrypts the document using 128-bit RC4.
- Acrobat 7.0 And Later (PDF 1.6) encrypts the document using the AES encryption algorithm with a 128-bit key size.
- Acrobat X And Later (PDF 1.7) encrypts the document using 256-bit AES.
- To apply 256-bit AES encryption to documents created in Acrobat 8 and 9, select Acrobat X And Later.
There are many free and paid ways to encrypt PDF files, the most secure method to password protect PDF is using a third-party data encryption tool, in here, I strongly recommend UkeySoft File Lock. Ukeysoft File Lock is a military-grade file encryption tool for password protecting any files and documents, including PDF, Microsoft Office Word, PPT, TXT, Excel, Photo, Video, Audio, etc. What’s more, the program can also hide or lock folder and drives. In a word, UkeySoft File Lock is able to prevent all the misuse from unauthorized users and violent attacks on computers, let’s teach you how to use it to hide or lock encrypt/password protect Adobe Acrobat (pdf) documents steps by steps.
Guide: Guide: How to Password Protect PDF Documents
Step 1. Install and launch UkeySoft File Lock on your computer
Go to the Ukeysof official website, download and install UkeySoft File Lock. Then launch it and enter the initial password "123456" to start up. If you have purchased a license code to activate the program, you can set another password.
Step 2. Select Locking File Feature
You'll see different options on the left side under "Local Disk", in this case, select "Locking File" and continue.
Step 3. Add PDF Documents to Encrypt
There are 2 ways to add a PDF file(s) to the locking list.
Method 1: Select "Lock File(s)" on the right side.
Then a window will pop up, add a PDF file(s) that you want to password protected from your computer, click on "Confirm" button to confirm adding a PDF file(s) to the locking list.
Method 2: You can also drag a PDF file to the locking list, after dragging a PDF fileto the locking list and added successfully, you will see the PDF file(s) is on Locked status.
So only 3 simple steps, your PDF files have been locked with password, and they are perfectly safe without worrying about the prying eyes.
Part 2 How to Access Locked PDF file & Unlock PDF file
So now, if you want to open the encrypted PDF file, you need to enter a right password that you have set.
Id you want to unlock your encrypted PDF files, just select a PDF file by ticking it from the locking list, then click on "Unlock" button to unlock the encrypted PDF files.
After unlocking it, you can open the PDF file(s) is without password.
Hide PDF Document in Windows 11/10/8.1/7/XP
If you want to hide your important PDF files from being viewing, you also can use UkeySoft to hide PDF documents, word documents, Excel, PPT, photos, videos, etc. Just click the “Hide File” function and directly dragging PDF to the hiding list, all added files be hidden, anyone cannot view them.
With the help of UkeySoft File Lock, you can easily lock/encrypt or hide PDF files easily, free download the trial version and try to password protect your import documents.
If you are using a Mac computer, to password protect a PDF file is slightly different from that on Windows. Here are the simple steps of encrypting your PDF on Mac.
Step 1. Open the PDF file you want to lock in Preview.
Step 2. Go to File, then click Export, and choose Encrypt.
Step 3. Enter the password, re-enter to verify it, then click Save.
I guess you’ve already have some ideas of how to password protect your PDF files on Windows or on Mac. With the Adobe software, you have two options to encrypt your file. On a Mac computer, there is an option in Preview to enable you to encrypt PDF files. But if your PDF file is very important, you’d better hide or lock your PDF file with some professional data encryption software like Ukeysoft File Lock. UkeySoft can not only password protect a single PDF file, but also allow users to encrypt a whole folder on Windows or on Mac. So why not give it a try?
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