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Document security

PDF security: passwords, metadata, redaction and signatures

By DeckleUpdated

To secure a PDF, match the step to the risk: add a password so only people with it can open the file, remove metadata so the file stops naming its author and apps, and remove sensitive content from the pages if the recipient must not see it. Deckle covers the first two in your browser with Password protect PDF and Remove PDF metadata. Each saves a new copy and leaves your original as it was.

Password protect PDF

Three different privacy tasks

Password

Controls access

Metadata

Document properties

Redaction

Selected page content

Choose the change; inspect the saved copy

Conceptual comparison · access, properties and content require separate checks. No single task certifies complete privacy.

Find the right guide

You want to Read
Pick the right protection for a document How to choose the right security for a PDF
Decide between a password and redaction Password protection vs redaction
Decide between a password and a digital signature Password protection vs digital signature
Understand why a signature broke after an edit Why a PDF signature is invalid after editing
Know whether an edited PDF is still PDF/A PDF vs PDF/A after editing
Add a password How to password protect a PDF
Remove author, dates and attachments How to remove metadata from a PDF

The four kinds of PDF security

Risk Control What it does In Deckle
The wrong person opens the file Open password with AES-256 encryption The file cannot be read without the password Password protect PDF
The file reveals who made it, with what and when Metadata removal Deletes properties, the XMP record, the document ID and attachments Remove PDF metadata
The recipient sees a detail they should not Redaction Removes text and images from marked areas of the page Not covered by these tools
The recipient cannot tell who sent it or if it changed Digital signature Ties the file to a signer and shows later changes Not offered by Deckle

A document often needs more than one. A payslip sent by email may need metadata removal and a password. A report going to the public may need redaction and metadata removal, but no password.

The right order

  1. Content first. Remove or redact anything the recipient must not see, and remove pages they do not need.
  2. Metadata next. Clear properties from the final content with Remove PDF metadata.
  3. Password last. Protect the cleaned file with Password protect PDF. Once it is protected, other tools need it unlocked before they can change it.
  4. Signature at the very end, if one is needed. Any later change invalidates it.

What a password does and does not do

Deckle's password tool encrypts the file with AES-256 and sets one password that is needed to open it. It does not set printing or copying restrictions, and once someone opens the file they can read every page. A password protects the file on the way; it does not hide content from the person you give the password to. See what AES-256 PDF encryption protects.

Tips

  • Decide who should see what. Write down the recipient and what they need before choosing a control.
  • Send passwords separately. See how to send a password-protected PDF safely.
  • Never cover text to hide it. A black box drawn over text leaves the text in the file.
  • Keep the full original private. Deckle never changes the files you choose, so the original stays on your device.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most secure way to send a PDF?

Remove anything the recipient should not see, clean the metadata, protect the file with a strong password and send the password by a different route.

Does a password protect the content from the recipient?

No. Anyone with the password can read, print and save the document. Remove sensitive content from the pages if the recipient must not see it.

Can Deckle add a digital signature?

No. Deckle does not create or validate digital signatures. Use a signing app or service for that, and sign the final version after every other change.

Can I restrict printing or copying with Deckle?

No. Password protect PDF sets one password that opens the file and no separate restrictions. Preview on a Mac and Adobe Acrobat can set permission restrictions; see open password vs permissions password.

Is the PDF uploaded when I protect or clean it?

No. Both tools work in your browser and the file is not uploaded.

Related tools

Sources