Password Protect PDF in Java

How to Password Protect a PDF

Setting password protection and encrypting a PDF can be done in a few lines of code.

When a user password is specified, the PDF viewer will require this password to open the PDF document. If left blank the viewer will not prompt for a password when opening the PDF.

When an owner password is specified, the PDF viewer will require it to modify the PDF.

Below is the list of classes used to set passwords or to encrypt PDF with different secuirty settings.

• Aes128Security
• Aes256Security
• RC4128Security
• RC440Security

Steps to Password Protect PDF

1. Create a Document object.
2. Create a Page object and add it to Document.
3. Create a Aes256Security object by setting the owner and user password.
4. Set the security to the Document.
5. Invoke the Draw method on the Document to output the PDF.

Sample code - Java

Document document = new Document();
            
Page page = new Page();
document.getPages().add(page);
           
Aes256Security security = new Aes256Security("owner", "user");
document.setSecurity(security);

document.Draw(@"Output.pdf");

How to Add Password to a PDF

The above security classes can be used to add password protection to an existing PDF document as well.

Steps to Add Password to PDF

1. Create a MergeDocument object with the path to the PDF file.
2. Create a Aes256Security object by setting the owner and user password.
3. Set the security to the Document.
4. Invoke the Draw method on the Document to output the PDF.

Sample code - Java

MergeDocument document = new MergeDocument("pdf-a.pdf");

Aes256Security security = new Aes256Security("owner", "user");
document.setSecurity(security);

document.Draw(@"Output.pdf");

Getting Started

DynamicPDF Generator and Merger Information

More information can be found here:

• DynamicPDF Generator for Java
• DynamicPDF Merger for Java

Available in Other Platforms

Generator and Merger PDF Libraries are available for .NET and COM/AxtiveX platforms. Refer to the respective product pages for more details.

• DynamicPDF Generator
  • .NET - DynamicPDF Generator for .NET
  • COM/ActiveX - DynamicPDF Generator for COM/ActiveX
• DynamicPDF Merger
  • .NET - DynamicPDF Merger for .NET
  • COM/ActiveX - DynamicPDF Merger for COM/ActiveX