Many times people want to send us confidential data, but ask is it safe? The best way to do this, if you created an encrypted PDF. Feel free to send us the PDF via email or dropbox etc. Before sending us the PDF, just encrypt and password protect it.
Define: Encrypt –
- conceal data in (something) by converting it into a code. eg: “the password cannot be broken as it is encrypted in the hardware”
- convert (information or data) into a cipher or code, especially to prevent unauthorized access. eg: “all calls will be digitally encrypted to make eavesdropping impossible”
Make sure the password is not in the same communication. Send us the password separately or via a different mode of communication.
Would you like to encrypt a PDF? Encrypting a PDF can be handy if you want to protect sensitive data contained in a PDF that you store on your computer, or before you share the PDF via email, Dropbox or via some other means.
Apple Computer / Macs
Encrypting a PDF can be accomplished easily using Apple’s Preview application which comes bundled with every Mac.
Here are instructions for encrypting a PDF:
- Go to your Applications folder and open Preview by double-clicking its icon
- Open your PDF by dragging the icon of the PDF file onto Preview’s icon on that Dock
- Click on the File menu and select Export
- Insert a checkmark in the box next to Encrypt
- Type in the password in both the Password and the Verify boxes
- Click the Save button
Once you’ve encrypted a PDF, when you look at its icon in the Finder, you’ll now see a padlock icon which indicates that it’s encrypted.
If you wish to remove the encryption, do this:
- Double click the file to open it
- Enter its password
- Click on the File menu select Export, make sure the Encrypt box is not checked.
- Click the Save button
- You’ll be creating a new copy of the file that is not encrypted. You can then throw away the encrypted copy.
Windows Computers
How to Password Protect a PDF with Adobe® Reader
Download the latest version of Adobe Reader for Windows or Mac and install it on your computer.
Step 1. Open PDF File
Once you’ve installed Adobe Reader on your computer, open the PDF file that you want to protect with a password. You can either drag and drop the PDF file into Adobe Reader or open it from the main menu.
Step 2. Password Protect PDF
After opening the PDF file, go to “Tools > Protect > Encrypt > Encrypt with Password”. The tools are located on the top left side of the screen in Adobe Reader 11. Once the menu pops up, click “Yes” on the screen.
The next step is to enter the password to your PDF file. You’ll also need to choose the compatibility for this selected version of the PDF file.
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