Share material that cannot be printed
Distribute a course or presentation meant to be read on screen without quality printing.
Change PDF permissions
Change PDF permissions locally: printing, modification and content extraction can be allowed or restricted with AES-256 encryption.
- Export
Your files are processed locally in your browser and are never sent to our servers.
Drop your file here
Recommended size: up to 100 MB
Keep it: it is required to manage or remove restrictions.
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How does this tool work?
Changing a PDF’s permissions sets what readers may do with the document — print, edit, copy text — while still letting it open without a password. It is the solution for sharing training material that can be read but not printed, a catalogue whose text you do not want copied, or a form that can be filled in but not reworked. The settings are applied in your browser.
Three settings are offered. Printing: Full-quality printing, Low resolution only or Not allowed. Changes: All changes, Annotations and forms, Form filling, Page assembly (inserting, rotating or deleting pages) or No changes. Finally, a checkbox allows or blocks extraction of text and images.
These rights are protected by a mandatory owner password. The qpdf engine encrypts the file with AES-256 and an empty open password: anyone can read the document, but only the holder of the owner password can lift the restrictions in software that respects them.
These are usage rules, not strong protection: the content is readable by definition, and some software ignores these flags. To prevent reading altogether, encrypt the document with an open password instead.
How to use this tool
Import the PDF
Choose the document you want to share with restrictions.
Choose the rights
Set printing, changes and extraction, then enter an owner password.
Download the restricted PDF
The file opens normally, but compatible readers apply the limits you chose.
Use cases
Limit content copying
Disable extraction of text and images from a catalogue or a study.
Allow filling without editing
Permit only form filling, with no changes to pages or content.
Examples
Read-only training material
The trainer keeps the owner password to lift these limits later; participants read the document without typing anything.
Input
Printing: Low resolution only; Changes: No changes; extraction unchecked; owner password setResult
PDF that opens without a password, prints only in low resolution and does not allow text copyingTips and best practices
- Write down the owner password: without it, you can no longer change the rights in software that respects them.
- Do not rely on these restrictions alone for a confidential document: use Password protect a PDF instead.
- Apply permissions last, after every other transformation of the document.
Sources and references
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a password to open the resulting PDF?
No. The open password is empty; only the owner password, required by the tool, protects the restrictions.
Are the restrictions foolproof?
No. Common readers respect them, but some software ignores them. They are usage rules, not a lock on the content.
What does “Low resolution only” mean?
Printing is still possible, but the reader prints a degraded version that is unsuitable for quality reproduction.
What is the difference between Annotations and forms and Form filling?
The first also allows adding comments and annotations; the second only allows typing into existing fields.
Can I use this operation in a Pipeline?
Not yet: secure entry of the owner password is not available in Workspace. Use the standalone tool at the end of your processing.
Is the owner password sent anywhere?
No. It is only used for the encryption performed in your browser and is not kept.
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