how to save pdf so the text can not be copied? (Mac)

[Anonymous]

Hi,
how can I save my layouts as pdf so the other party can not copy and paste the text? saving with password does not accomplish that. I am on Mac platform.
thanks,
joseph

[Dave Seabury]

WIN2PDF can do what you want

David

[Karl Ottenstein]

Hi Joseph,

On MacOS, when you use the PDF menu in the bottom left of the print dialog to save a PDF, you get a screen similar to the attached (El Capitan for screenshot).

Click the Security Options... button and rather than assign a password to open the document, check the box for "Require password to copy text, images and other content".

If you are using Publisher to generate the PDF, I didn't check to see if the options are available there...maybe?

You can always open an existing PDF in Preview (Mac) and rather than exporting a copy (only PW encryption offered), PRINT from Preview - and you'll get the same Security Options to add a copy prevention password.

Cheers,
Karl

[Karl Ottenstein]

Karl wrote:
If you are using Publisher to generate the PDF, I didn't check to see if the options are available there...maybe?

Yes, it works even from Publisher. But, not when publishing to PDF - the options there don't give you want you want. Instead, change your PDF publishing set to be a Print set... and then click the Print Settings... button and go through the steps you would if you were saving to PDF. Click the PDF drop-down, Save as PDF, then the Security Options button to add the password to prevent copying.

I just tested and publishing this "print" set did save a PDF that could not have its content copied. (The Copy command is disabled in the Acrobat Pro and Adobe Reader; attempting to copy from Mac Preview results in a prompt for the password.)

Karl

[Anonymous]

thanks Karl,

yet when I follow your steps in the simple steps of,
print>save as pdf>security options>check....copy....>password
when opening the pdf, I can copy the the text and no password is required!
any thoughts?
thanks,
joseph

[Karl Ottenstein]

Joseph wrote:
when opening the pdf, I can copy the the text and no password is required!

What did you open the PDF in? And could you really copy the text, vs just select it? You were able to paste it into a text document/etc? I'm able to cmd-A and select all text, but am unable to copy using any Adobe PDF product or Apple Preview...

[Anonymous]

it allows without password, I opened with preview, copied and paste to a text document and I am on high Sierra,
thanks
Joseph

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

talked to apple, it is a problem with high sierra, they are working on it for next update.
thanks
Joseph

[Anonymous]

Karl wrote:

Karl wrote:
If you are using Publisher to generate the PDF, I didn't check to see if the options are available there...maybe?

... and then click the Print Settings... button and go through the steps you would if you were saving to PDF. Click the PDF drop-down, Save as PDF....

Karl

Hi Karl,
I could not publish the entire set of my layout but Only the last layout was published to pdf, (out of many layout sheets in the set) even though the print dialog the "Pages:All" is chosen?!
am I missing a point?
thanks,
Joseph