How to generate an encrypted password-protected PDF document

Step-by-step guide: How to generate an encrypted password-protected PDF document

Producing a document which shouldn’t be viewable by everyone or should contain restrictions is extremely easy with HelpNDoc. A few options let you define the level of encryption, passwords and user permissions for your generated PDF documents.

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After you’ve completed your documentation, you can activate encryption and generate a password-protected PDF Document in three easy steps:

Access the generate documentation window

Step 1: Generate help

Click the top half of the Generate help button in the Home ribbon tab.

Customize PDF settings

Step 2: Select a PDF build

This displays the ‘Generate Documentation’ window.
The builds created for this project are listed along the left-hand side in your build list. Click a PDF build to access its settings.
Then, click Customize to access the PDF settings tab if it is not already visible.

Define PDF security settings

Step 3: Define PDF encryption settings

Click the Encrypt document tab where you can customize the following settings.
Make sure to check the Encrypt document checkbox to activate this feature.

Encrypt options

Select the encryption algorithm that you’d like to use.
Check Encrypt Metadata to also encrypt the document’s metadata.

Password encryption

You can define the passwords for the owner (you) and your users. The owner will be granted all permissions while the users will only have access to the permissions defined in the “User permissions” group.

User Permissions

Select the permissions that you’d like to grant your users when accessing the PDF document: if they use the “User password” to access this document, they will only be able to achieve the tasks allowed in this group.

Protected PDF document
When you click Generate the PDF document is created and you can click the link to access the document.
This displays a request for the Owner or User password that you defined previously.

When you need user access restrictions for your generated PDF documents, simply change a few settings in HelpNDoc and it will rapidly produce strongly encrypted, password protected PDF documents for you.

See also