Skip to main content

You create passwords for your email, Facebook, online banking accounts, and more—but what about your PDFs? Whether you want to protect the content from prying eyes or accidental deletes, it makes sense to password protect your PDFs. But how do you protect a PDF document with a password? Thankfully, using Sizle and default system tools it’s easier than you expect.

How to Password Protect PDF files for Free

Password protect your PDFs with one convenient toolkit from Sizle. It’s easy to use, and free. It only takes one click to import or convert your PDF, Microsoft Word, or PowerPoint doc from Google Drive or Dropbox. After uploading or importing your files, the next step is to password protect the PDF online.

You can personalize the PIN codes for individual and group sharing, giving each member a password, or using a general one for the team. Adding a password is simple,

  1. Upload the PDF
  2. Click on Share. The tab is at the top of the menu
  3. Create passwords for individuals or a team

It only takes a few seconds to password protect the PDF and share it with others.

How to Password Protect PDF files on a Mac

Password protecting a PDF on Mac encrypts the document for anyone without a code. It gives you an extra layer of security, and it only takes four easy steps.

  1. Go to the Preview App and open your PDF
  2. Select File, then Export and click on Encrypt. You can also change the PDF’s name. It allows you to password-protect the shared file, leaving the original unencrypted.
  3. Create a password, and follow the verification prompt
  4. Select Save

The PDF is password protected and ready for sharing. It’s just as easy to remove a password from a PDF. Open the file and turn off the encryption option before exporting the document.

How to Password Protect PDF files on Windows

Password protecting a PDF on Windows is a breeze. It’s a standard feature in Microsoft Office and only takes a few steps.

  1. Open the document
  2. Go into the File menu and click on the Info tab
  3. Choose Protect Document
  4. Select the Encrypt with Password option

The next step is to type in the password and verify the code by selecting the OK tab. Your PDF is password protected and will only open with the code.

How to Password Protect PDF files in Adobe

Adobe Acrobat is a popular and convenient online tool. It also allows you to password protect your Adobe Acrobat PDFs. It’s easy to protect your PDFs, but you will want to pay attention to the various compatibility options.

After opening the PDF, select Tools, Protect, Encrypt, and Encrypt with Password

You should see a tab prompting you to change the security; choose the Yes option. You will see a drop-down menu for document compatibility. Select the option that is equal or lower than the version of Reader or Acrobat your recipients are using.

There are three compatibility options, and it determines what type of encryption is used. It needs to be compatible with the recipients for them to open the PDF. For example, if you have Acrobat 7, you can’t open PDFs encrypted for later versions of Acrobat.

Here are your compatibility options:

  1. Use Acrobat 6.0 and later versions to encrypt documents using a 128-bit RC4
  2. Acrobat 7.0 and later versions use the AES encryption algorithm for PDFs with a 128-bit key size.
  3. Anyone with Acrobat X and later versions needs the document encrypted with a 256-bit AES.

After selecting the compatibility option, click on Encrypt All Document Contents. Select OK, and type in the password. Verify the password and choose OK.

How to Edit a PDF

Chances are when you are sharing PDFs with team members you are expecting their input and edits. Edits on password protected PDFs are common, but how do you accomplish this without making the file open to everyone.

Whether you are using Mac, Adobe, Word, or want to edit a PDF online, it’s easy to do with the right knowledge and tools.

Here’s what you need to know about editing PDFs.

How to Edit a PDF on Mac

If you want to know how to edit a PDF on Mac for free, it’s a simple process with a few basic steps.
Even though PDFs are designed to be readable but not editable, you can still make changes to whole files, content, and images. Here’s everything you need to know about how to edit a PDF file on Mac.

How to Edit a PDF on Mac for Free

Mac comes with a built-in editing tool. It’s free to use but comes with limitations. The Preview App allows you to add content, graphs, and images. The tool is simple to use, but it will not allow you to change any existing test in the document.

If you need to add a paragraph of text, rotate PDF pages extract text, add a digital signature or move images around, you will need to use an online PDF editor.

If you only need to make minor changes, you can use the free Preview App:

  1. Go into the View menu and select the Show Annotations Toolbar tab.
  2. A toolbar will pop up at the bottom of the preview menu with different options.

Clicking on the Text tab allows you to add a box of text. You can’t delete existing text, but you can use the text box to write over previous content. The Apple-T tab lets you change the font. Select the font size and type from the drop-down box.

It’s a basic way to edit PDFs, but if the file’s appearance isn’t a big deal it’s a free and easy way to make a few changes to the docs.

The Preview app also allows you to add a digital signature using the Trackpad feature. Click on the option and use the trackpad to sign your signature using your finger.

Another fun option is the Sketch tool. You can add images using the palette or paintbrush. It’s similar to how Microsoft Paint works.

How to Edit a PDF Document on Mac Using Sizle

You have several options when it comes to PDF editors online. One online tool to look at is from Sizle. Using intuitive editing tools, you can easily make and save changes to your PDFs.

The first step is to log into your Sizle account or sign up for free. From there, you will follow the prompts.

  1. Import or upload your PDF to Sizle
  2. On the right side of the screen, you will see an option to Fill and Sign. You want to select it, and then choose Add Text. The tab is at the top of the editor screen.
  3. Click on the area you want to add content and start typing.
  4. When you finish, close the file. You don’t have to worry about clicking on Save, the online editing tool automatically saves any changes you make.

You can also share the file with other team members; even the PDF is password protected.

How to Edit a PDF on Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word comes with a PDF editor, as long as the version is not older than 2013. It does limit what you can edit, and not everyone is using an older version of Word. However, if you are, you can do some limited editing. The steps are a little complicated compared to the online PDF editor offered by Sizle.

The first step is converting your PDF to DOCX format, and don’t forget to save the document:

  1. Open and launch Microsoft word suite
  2. Select and open the file you are editing
  3. Insert the text

Before you close the file, select Save. You can also convert the DOCX back to a PDF file. There is a downside to using Microsoft’s free PDF editing tool. If the author of the PDF has the file locked, you will need permission before you can make any changes.

How to Use Adobe PDF Editor

If you only need to make minor changes to the occasional PDF, Adobe has a free online PDF editor. Just sign into your account and you can insert text and sticky notes anywhere in the file.

However, if you are frequently editing PDFs it may make sense to upgrade to Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. The tool gives you a seven-day free trial period that’s worth checking out. It’s also compatible with both Mac and Windows operating systems.

How to Edit PDFs with Adobe Acrobat DC

Adobe Acrobat DC is a handy tool to have when you spend a lot of time editing PDFs. You can change text and images on any compatible device, even from a tablet or mobile phone. It’s convenient, easy to use, and you don’t need the original file.

Using the Adobe PDF editor offers several benefits:

  • You can change or add text and graphics. You can also crop photos and fix typos by clicking on the area you want to edit.
  • The online editing tool is compatible with most mobile devices. You don’t have to stay at your desk. You can edit PDFs from almost anywhere.
  • Adobe Acrobat DC comes with multiple tools that allow for full page editing and automatic formatting. When you add text, bulleted lists, and boxes with the tool, it takes care of arranging the page.
  • The PDF editor comes with built-in spell check. It checks your work, along with the previously written text.

There’s a lot to like about Adobe Acrobat DC. It’s also a breeze to use, even for beginners. It only takes a few simple steps to edit and save a PDF file.

  1. Select the PDF you want to open in Acrobat DC
  2. On the right side of the screen, select the Edit PDF tab
  3. Use the Acrobat editing options that include:
    1. Adding and editing texts
    2. Updating fonts. You can find this option in the Format list.
      Move, resize, add, and replace images. Click on your choice from the
    3. Objects list.
    4. Select tools for watermarks and for adding annotations to the PDF.
  4. Click on the Save tab and name the PDF.
    It only takes four steps to edit your PDFs using Adobe DC.

Using the Best Free PDF Editor

You don’t have to worry about not having enough options when you are looking for a free PDF editor. Most operating systems come with the basics, and Adobe also offers a free tool when you sign-up. Sizle is compatible with Word, JPEG, and PowerPoint documents that have been converted to PDF files. After uploading or importing your files, you are ready to start making any necessary changes.

With the free online PDF editor, you can:

  • Insert text, shapes, and lines
  • Add annotations and signatures
  • Download and share your files
  • Merge PDF pages and documents

Using the tool is a breeze, even if it’s your first time editing a shared PDF file. After uploading the file, go to the menu toolbox and browse through the 25+ editing tools. Select the ones you want to do, and Sizle will take care of the rest.

You Can Do It!

Learning how to edit a PDF document online is easy. You have plenty of free and subscription editing tools to choose from, each with advantages and weaknesses. Your operating system comes with the basic tools, but remember—you may not be able to delete any text or images saved by the document’s author. You can only write over the existing content unless you upgrade.

Sizle is different and offers one of the best free PDF editors, and you can make all of the changes you need for free. See what Sizle can do for you today.

Jeremy from Sizle.io

We write regular document sharing tutorials, tips to help you be more productive.