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C
cg1010
Participant
February 27, 2019
Answered

Locking PDF after editing

  • February 27, 2019
  • 1 reply
  • 3947 views

As I understand there are 2 key security options for Adobe PDFs with editable fields.

  • Security option 1 (Document Open Password): The form can be locked (ie. password protected) at the start and a password has to be input to open the PDF at all

For this option, once a password has been inputted and details have been completed, can it become locked and not editable after it is saved? (and not only in Adobe but eg. if you open with Macbook Preview)

  • Security option 2 (Filling in form fields and signing existing signature fields): The form can be opened and viewable but a password has to be input to allow anyone to edit/copy/print the PDF

Once person A completes the form of PDF with editable fields, is there any way to prevent Person B who also has the password to re-edit the edited fields?

Thanks for your help.

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer try67

Both are possible using a digital signature field. However, it can't prevent the file from being edited. What it is used for is to validate that it hasn't been edited.

1 reply

try67
Community Expert
try67Community ExpertCorrect answer
Community Expert
March 4, 2019

Both are possible using a digital signature field. However, it can't prevent the file from being edited. What it is used for is to validate that it hasn't been edited.

try67
Community Expert
try67Community Expert
Community Expert
March 4, 2019

PS. You should not be giving out the password to edit the file. That defeats the entire purpose of applying the security policy in the first place. Either you want them to be able to edit it, in which case you shouldn't apply the policy at all, or you don't want them to be able to edit it, in which case you should not give them the password, as that will allow them to remove the protection (easier than normal).

T
Training2780531657tr
Participant
January 4, 2023

is it possible to save it locked out as a "read only" document? I'm using these docs as training records so they need to have comments added and signatures but once the form has been filled out I need it to be saved in a separate folder for that staff member as a record that can't be altered.

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