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gwenk58717599
New Participant
November 7, 2016
Question

How do you make a PDF not editable?

  • November 7, 2016
  • 3 replies
  • 95373 views

Hello - Since converting to Acrobat DC, my office has had trouble making our PDFs not editable. I followed the security functions (File>Properties>Security>Password Security), but this prevents users from being able to print the document--and our users must have that option. However, if we don't apply the password protection, users can edit text, images, etc--which must not happen either. What function creates a static PDF like in the "old days"? Thanks, Gwen

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    3 replies

    JR Boulay
    JR Boulay
    Community Expert
    November 5, 2020

    And from Word too

     

    Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
      A
      Anonymous
      April 14, 2021

      wHAT VERSION OF WORD ARE YOU USING?

        JR Boulay
        JR Boulay
        Community Expert
        November 5, 2020

        You can apply exactly the same security settings when exporting to PDF from InDesign, in the last pane of the PDF export options box.

        Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
        try67
        try67
        Community Expert
        November 7, 2016

        When you apply the security policy you can select to allow printing, while still forbidding editing of other kinds.

        G
        gwenk58717599Author
        New Participant
        November 7, 2016

        Thanks, Try67: using your prompt, I made changes to the security settings. That does make the document non-editable. It's not quite the answer I was looking for, though--I will try to articulate it better.

        When I export a document to PDF from InDesign, Word, or other programs, the document comes over with editable properties. I don't want that. I want the document to arrive in Acrobat in a static condition. I don't want to edit text, images, or anything else. Is there an export function I need to select? If not possible, what can I do in Acrobat to remove the editability from the document while making it possible to forward to a superior to apply a signature?

        Maybe I need to post this in an InDesign forum.

        try67
        try67
        Community Expert
        November 7, 2016

        I don't know about ID, but in Acrobat it's easily done. Open the file, go to File - Properties - Security and select Password Security.

        You'll see this dialog:

        If you want to allow digital signing and printing then select these options:

        Enter your password, click OK, save the file and you're done.

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