How to password encrypt and protect
How to password encrypt and protect
Microsoft Word & Adobe PDFs
Training Guide
January 2022
How to password encrypt and protect Microsoft Word & Adobe PDF’s
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How to password encrypt and protect Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF documents
Securing PDF documents with passwords
Users can limit access to a PDF by setting passwords and by restricting certain features, such as printing and editing.
Restrict the way people can use your PDF file. There are two types of passwords available:
Document open password: A document open password (also known as user password) requires the user to type in
a password to even open the PDF.
Permissions password: A permissions password (also known as a master password) requires a password to change
permission settings. Using a permissions password, you can restrict printing, editing, and copying content in the
PDF.
How to password encrypt and protect a PDF document
1. Open the PDF document you would like to password protect, select the Tools tab, scroll down to find the
Protect & Standardize section, select Protect.
2. The Protect tool bar will appear, select the Encrypt button drop menu. Here you can either Encrypt with a
Certificate or Encrypt with a Password.
How to password encrypt and protect Microsoft Word & Adobe PDF’s
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3. The Password Security Settings menu will pop up. Users can either choose to require a password to open the
document or a password for permissions such as editing and printing the document.
4. Once you have created and confirmed the password the document will not be able to open, print or edit
(depending on the restrictions you placed) without the password.
How to password encrypt and protect a Word document
1. With the Word document open, select the File tab at the top left corner.
How to password encrypt and protect Microsoft Word & Adobe PDF’s
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2. Next scroll down and select Info from the navigation pane on the left. From the Info section select Protect
Document, then select Encrypt with Password.
3. The encrypt document pop-up will appear. Enter a desired password then click OK.
4. Once OK is clicked the Protect Document will appear showing the document is now protected and will need a
password required to open this document.