Change Permissions

Set or change user permissions on a PDF. Modify passwords and access controls.

Click to select PDF or drag and drop

Your files never leave your device.

What are PDF Permissions & Passwords?

PDF permissions control what users can do with your PDF documents. Using passwords and encryption, you can restrict actions like printing, copying text, editing, and more.

Two Types of PDF Passwords:

  • User Password (Open Password): Required to open and view the PDF
  • Owner Password (Permissions Password): Required to change permissions settings. Without this password, users cannot modify the restrictions you set.

Common Permission Scenarios:

  • View Only: Allow reading but prevent copying or printing
  • Print Only: Allow printing but prevent editing
  • Fill Forms: Allow form filling but prevent content changes
  • Full Access: Remove all restrictions for editing

Security Features

  • ✓ User & Owner passwords
  • ✓ 7 Permission types
  • ✓ Remove encryption
  • ✓ 128-bit AES encryption
  • ✓ No file size limits
  • ✓ 100% client-side processing

How to Change PDF Permissions

1

Upload PDF

Select your PDF file. If it's password-protected, enter the current password to unlock it for modification.

2

Set Permissions

Choose your new passwords and permissions. Select which actions to allow or restrict for document users.

3

Download Secure PDF

Download your newly protected PDF. Share it with confidence knowing your restrictions are in place.

Understanding PDF Permissions

Printing Permissions

  • Allowed: Users can print the document at any quality
  • Disallowed: Users cannot print the document
  • Some PDF viewers may still allow "Print to PDF" even when printing is restricted

Content Extraction

  • Copying Allowed: Users can select and copy text
  • Page Extraction Allowed: Users can extract individual pages
  • Note: Determined users may still capture screenshots or use OCR tools

Common Use Cases

Distribute Read-Only

Set user password for opening, disable all permissions except viewing

Allow Form Filling

Enable form filling while disabling editing and copying

Remove Protection

Leave both passwords empty to decrypt and remove all restrictions

Frequently Asked Questions

User Password (Open Password): Required to open and view the PDF. Users must enter this password to see the document contents.

Owner Password (Permissions Password): Required to change permissions settings. Without this password, users cannot modify the restrictions even if they have the user password.

Tip: You can set both passwords to be the same, or use different ones for added security.

Yes! To remove all password protection and permissions:

  1. Enter the current password (if the PDF is encrypted)
  2. Leave both "New User Password" and "New Owner Password" fields empty
  3. Click "Change Permissions"
  4. The resulting PDF will have no passwords or restrictions

Alternatively, use our Decrypt PDF tool specifically designed for removing passwords.

If you forget the owner password, you cannot change the permissions on the PDF. However:

  • You can still open the PDF if you know the user password
  • The existing permissions will remain in effect
  • You cannot modify or remove the restrictions

To prevent this, consider:

  • Using the same password for user and owner (if security allows)
  • Keeping a secure record of your owner passwords
  • Using a password manager

PDF permissions provide reasonable security but are not 100% foolproof:

  • Effective against: Casual users, accidental changes, basic copying
  • Not effective against: Determined hackers, screen capture tools, OCR software, or specialized cracking tools
  • Technical limitations: Some PDF viewers may ignore certain restrictions

For maximum security, combine PDF permissions with:

  • Strong, unique passwords (12+ characters, mixed case, numbers, symbols)
  • Watermarking sensitive documents
  • Using DRM solutions for highly sensitive content
  • Controlling distribution through secure portals

This tool uses 128-bit AES encryption, which is:

  • The standard for PDF 2.0 and later
  • Considered secure for most business and personal use
  • Compatible with all modern PDF viewers (Adobe Acrobat, Preview, Chrome, etc.)
  • FIPS 140-2 compliant for government use

Note: Some very old PDF readers (pre-2008) may not support AES encryption. For maximum compatibility, you may need to use RC4 encryption (40-bit or 128-bit), though this is less secure.

Related PDF Security Tools

Encrypt PDF

Add password protection

Decrypt PDF

Remove password protection

Sanitize PDF

Remove metadata & scripts

Remove Restrictions

Strip all limitations