FAQs
FAQs
How do I prevent a PDF from being copied?
You need to use a DRM solution to prevent copying from PDF documents. Adobe Acrobat protection is too easy to bypass, with users easily able to strip the protection and copy, paste, print, or make a file copy of the PDF.
A DRM solution that uses its own secure Viewer application can ensure that copy/paste restrictions are enforced, and that users cannot edit code to bypass controls. Unlike browser apps, it is the only way you can effectively prevent copying from PDF files.
How do I turn off copy and paste in a PDF?
You can turn off copy and paste in a PDF in most PDF editing applications, but that doesn’t mean it will stay off. PDF protection that is based on Adobe can be easily removed, so you should instead look at turning off copy and paste using a DRM solution.
Note that you cannot prevent anybody from copying and pasting a scanned PDF since there is no protection applied to it. You should therefore prevent both printing and copying to prevent users printing hardcopies and then scanning back to PDF format.
How can I prevent copy and paste in a PDF on Mac?
Adobe Acrobat is just even worse at protecting PDFs from copy and paste and screen grabbing on MacOS. It’s possible for Mac users to screenshot, edit, and copy/paste a document protected with Adobe PDF by opening in the built-in ‘Preview’ feature. This is because Apple does not honor Adobe’s permissions system.
To disable copy and paste on Mac, whether it’s via screenshot or text highlighting, you need to use a PDF DRM solution like Locklizard.
Why am I unable to copy text from a PDF?
Most likely because the creator of the document has disabled it. If it has been protected with Adobe Acrobat accidentally, you can remove it using a number of PDF password removal tools. Locklizard users, however, will have to contact the publisher of the document if they want to copy text from a secured PDF, as the controls can only be removed by the admin.
How can I diable copy and paste protection on USB drives?
There is no way to disable copy and paste protection on USB drives for PDFs protected with Locklizard Safeguard. Third-party solutions likely use rights controls to prevent the copying of files only. This requires admin access to the user’s system and doesn’t stop them from copy and pasting text or screenshotting the document.
Does disabling copy and paste in Windows registry work?
There are some registry keys or group policies that you can tweak to make copy paste disabled on Windows, but there are issues with this approach.
- The user can still use a screen grabber application to capture content and OCR it.
- The administrator must have control over the device, which is not likely in a work from home or partner-sharing situation.
- It can not be selectively applied to individual apps, so users cannot copy/paste within any application.
Registry mods are therefore not a viable solution for preventing copy and paste on Windows devices.
Do watermarks stop screenshots and copy and paste?
Watermarks can help to stop screenshots if they are placed well and are not easy to remove. They don’t do anything to prevent the copying and pasting of text however — that requires additional protection.
Can’t I just use Google Docs to prevent copy and paste?
Google Docs does provide some protection to prevent copy & paste but it is easily bypassed. Google Docs uses JavaScript to enforce its controls, which can be bypassed by appending “/mobilebasic” to your URL and then disabling JavaScript in the developer console. Users can then copy and paste the content into a new Google Doc to use as they like. In addition, users can use Ctrl + P to print a PDF and take high quality screenshots using screen grabbing tools. So Google Docs is not secure and should not be used if you want to prevent PDFs from being copied.
Is it possible to disable copying and pasting on iOS/Android?
It is not possible to prevent copying and pasting on iOS because there is no way to prevent print screen or third-party screen grabber utilities. This is why Locklizard Safeguard includes the option to deny PDF use on iOS devices.
It is possible to disable both screenshotting and text copying and pasting on Android.
How can I prevent anybody from copy and pasting from a scanned PDF?
If you protect a PDF with Locklizard, you can stop printing entirely and therefore prevent scanning and copy and paste. Alternatively, allow printing but add a dynamic print watermark to the document that clearly states the user’s name.
Can you block a PDF from being copied using JavaScript?
You can use JavaScript to block copy and paste but it is not very secure. Users can turn JavaScript off in PDF Reader apps, and a JavaScript command executed in the browser can be manipulated in the browser’s editor so that security functionality is bypassed or disabled.
Is PDF no copy protection effective?
No. While the term “PDF no copy” may imply something effective, it is really just the standard PDF password protection you’ll see in any PDF editor or protection website. It does not stop copying as restrictions can be removed in seconds using a variety of tools and methods.
