Protect Your Content – How to Create a Read-only PDF.

Do you want to make a PDF read-only or non-editable, but you’re unsure how? The protection of information in digital documents become more critical than ever in the world we live in. When it comes to creating secure and protected PDF documents, Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Acrobat Online stand out as one of the most versatile and trusted applications. Read on to learn how to make a PDF read-only.

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What you’ll learn

What a read-only PDF file is
Types of documents to make read-only
Reasons to create read-only PDFs
How to create read-only PDFs with Adobe Acrobat

What is a read-only PDF file?

Read-only PDFs are documents that have been set to stop others from making changes. Users can open and view read-only PDFs, but not make edits to text or images.

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Read-only PDFs are created by using file permissions or document protection features, such as passwords and encryption, to restrict viewing and editing rights. Striking a balance between security and accessibility is important. This ensures that your legitimate users can access and work with your documents as needed.

You can easily create read-only or non-editable PDFs by adjusting the settings in Adobe Acrobat. You can also adjust PDF settings in Adobe Acrobat to prevent others from copying and pasting text and images into other documents.

Types of documents to make read-only.

Various types of documents should be set as read-only to prevent unauthorized modifications and retain content integrity. Some examples are —

Infographic created with Adobe Firefly AI depicting different types of documents.

Any documents with sensitive or confidential information.
Any document containing sensitive or confidential information should be read-only to prevent unauthorized access and changes.

Contracts and legal agreements.
Contracts, agreements, and legal documents should be read-only to maintain their legal validity and prevent any unauthorized changes that could lead to disputes.

Reports.
Annual reports, financial reports and statements, research findings and results, and the like should be read-only to ensure the accuracy of information reported is retained.

Government and regulatory documents.
Documents and forms issued by government agencies or regulatory bodies, such as licenses, permits, or compliance reports, should be read-only to maintain their authenticity.

Historical and archived documents.
Historical records and archived documents, and artifacts should be set as read-only to preserve their historical value and prevent unintentional alterations.

Manuals and guides.
Instruction manuals, user guides, and reference materials may be set as read-only to prevent accidental changes that could affect the accuracy of the information.

Publicly shared documents.
Documents shared with a wide audience or the public, such as press releases, should be set as read-only to maintain the original message.

Essays and exam papers.
To prevent cheating and maintain the integrity of assessments, essays and exam papers should be read-only.

Reasons to create non-editable PDFs.

Making PDF content read-only or non-editable is about protecting your content, your business, and your peace of mind. There are many reasons to protect PDF files and make them read only, such as —

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Preservation of the original format.
Documents created and converted to PDF retain the formatting of the original document. Making PDFs read-only will ensure the format, fonts, images, and layout of your PDF documents stay uniform and look the same for all your users and readers.

Safeguarding of original intent and document integrity.
Prevent other users from adjusting your PDF content which could change the original intent behind your work. Read-only PDFs safeguard the integrity of your PDF content and prevent others from making alterations.

Protection of proprietary information and intellectual property.
PDF files will often proprietary information or trade secrets around business activities. Similarly, the content in PDFs may contain images and content that are the intellectual property of an individual or an organization. Read-only and non-editable PDFs can help to protect the rights and ownership of your intellectual property.

Confidence when sharing and collaborating.
When you add read-only protection to your PDFs, you can confidently share them with others via email or cloud services, knowing that your documents are secure. You can allow people to add comments, highlights, and annotations, but prevent accidental or unauthorized editing of PDF content. This is especially important in collaborative work environments.

Compliance with regulations and standards.
Often industries and regions have specific regulations and standards regarding data security and privacy. Protecting your PDFs is essential to maintain compliance with these rules, which can help you avoid potential penalties and legal issues.

Communicate your trust, credibility, and professionalism.
When you send or share a read-only PDF, it exudes professionalism. Secure PDFs communicate that you take your documents and data security seriously. This can enhance trust and credibility in your business relationships.

How to create read-only PDFs with Adobe Acrobat.

The settings and tools you have at your fingertips in Adobe Acrobat to protect PDFs and create read-only documents range from simple to more sophisticated use of encryption and security certificates. Explore what you can do in Adobe Acrobat’s free trial to secure your content.

Protect a PDF and set permissions.

To protect a PDF and restrict other users’ ability to edit, print, and make changes —

Open your Adobe Acrobat application.
Go to Tools.
Select Protect a PDF.
Select from the options on the left-hand menu.

Screenshot of the Protect a PDF tool options in Adobe Acrobat.

The first option, Protect with password, allows you to block editing and printing and set a password to ensure others cannot change the settings you choose.
Use the advanced options to set further permissions and restrictions on changes that others can make in your PDF.
For example, from Set security properties, you can allow people to fill in forms and sign a PDF, but not edit the text or content.

Screenshot of the security properties in Adobe Acrobat that allow for filling forms and signing documents.

Prevent others from opening a PDF.

If you only want certain people to view your PDF, password-protect your PDF. Your readers will need to have the password you enter here to open and view the document contents.

Open your Adobe Acrobat application or password-protect your PDF online.
Go to Tools.
Select Protect a PDF.
Select Protect with password and enter a password for users to use to open your PDF.

Click on the Menu icon in the top right menu and select Protect Using Password.

People without the password you set will see a message such as the one below from a PDF password-protected file stored in the cloud with Adobe Acrobat Online services.

Screenshot from Adobe Acrobat Online showing a document that is password protected unable to be previewed.

Prevent others from copying and pasting your PDF content.

To disable the copy/past ability and prevent people from copying and pasting PDF content —

Open your Adobe Acrobat application.
Go to Tools.
Select Protect a PDF.
Select Set security properties.
Ensure that the Enable copying of text, images and other content box is unchecked.

Screenshot of the settings in Adobe Acrobat to prevent users from copying and pasting text and images.