Using PDF security options

When distributing interactive PDF forms, you may want to restrict some of the capabilities that are normally available to PDF forms. For example, in a PDF form, you can normally add comments, insert and delete pages, sign the form, copy text, and save copies of the form.

You can select the Form Properties dialog box from the File menu and set the PDF security options in the PDF Security tab to restrict access to certain capabilities. You can disable the following options:

  • Printing of forms

  • Ability to open a form without a password

  • Insertion, extraction, or rotation of pages

  • Ability to add comments

  • Ability to add signatures

  • Copying of text and images

  • Plain text metadata

When you restrict access to any of the PDF form features, you should be aware that it may also affect the ability of screen readers to read the tagged PDF elements in your file. A screen reader is assistive software technology that allows users with vision impairment or disabilities to interact with computer software. To ensure that the form is available to these users, you need to enable text access for screen reader devices.

To set a password to open a PDF form

You can set a password that a user must enter to open a PDF form. This is a two-step process; first, you specify that a password is required and then you specify the password that the user must enter when opening the form.

  1. Select File > Form Properties.

  2. Click the PDF Security tab.

  3. Select Require A Password To Open The Document, and click OK.

  4. Save the form as an Adobe PDF Form (*.pdf).

  5. In the Set Document Open Password dialog box, do these tasks:

    • In the Document Open Password box, type a password.

    • In the Confirm box, retype the password.

    • Click OK.

  6. Close the form design.

To restrict printing in a PDF form

You can prevent users from print a PDF form. You can specify whether the form can be printed, printed with minimal resolution, or printed with a high resolution output.

  1. Select File > Form Properties.

  2. Click the PDF Security tab.

  3. In the Permissions area, select Use A Password To Restrict Printing And Editing Of The Document And Its Security Settings.

  4. In the Printing Allowed list, select one of the following options:

    • None

    • Low Resolution (150 dpi)

    • High Resolution

To restrict editing in a PDF form

You can disable certain editing capabilities for PDF forms:

  • Inserting, extracting, and rotating pages

  • Adding comments

  • Adding signatures

  • Copying of text and images

  • Enabling plain text metadata

  1. Select File > Form Properties.

  2. Click the PDF Security tab.

  3. In the Permissions area, select Use A Password To Restrict Printing And Editing Of The Document And Its Security Settings.

  4. In the Changes Allowed list, select one of the following options:

    • Inserting, deleting, and rotating pages

    • Filling in form fields and signing

    • Commenting, filling in form fields, and signing

    • Any except extracting pages

  5. Select one or both of the following options:

    • Enable copying of text, images, and other content

    • Enable plaintext metadata

To enable text access for screen readers in secure forms

If you choose to set options that restrict access to PDF functions, you should be aware that these options can also affect the ability of screen readers to read the tagged PDF material in your form.

To ensure that your forms are still accessible to screen reader devices, you must ensure that the Text Access For Screen Readers option is selected.

  1. Select File > Form Properties.

  2. Click the PDF Security tab and, in the Permissions area, do these tasks:

    • Select Use A Password To Restrict Printing And Editing Of The Document And Its Security Settings.

    • Select Enable Text Access For Screen Reader Devices For The Visually Impaired.

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