User Guide – PDF Password Protector Pro 2024 Edition

User Guide - PDF Password Protector Pro 2024 Edition

Contents

About

XenArmor PDF Password Protector Pro is the enterprise software to instantly password protect your PDF file to prevent others from copying, editing, printing etc.

 

Benefits

Here are the main benefits for you,

  • Instantly Protect PDF file with Password
  • Protect with both open and permission password
  • Prevent others from copy, modify, print etc
  • Protect single or all files in a folder
  • Encrypt PDF using RC4, AES algorithm
  • Supports all version of PDF files (v1.0 to v2.0)
  • Right click on PDF file and quickly protect with password
  • No need to upload files to online website
  • Your files will be safe & private (all operations done locally)
  • Command-line version to run from scripts
  • Automate or batch process your PDF files
  • EV Code Certified by SECTIGO: Enhanced trust & reduced Antivirus false positive warning
  • Portable Unlimited Edition to run on Unlimited PCs directly from USB disk
  • Works on both 32 bit & 64 bit Platforms starting from Windows Vista to Windows 11

Requirements

XenArmor PDF Password Protector Pro works on both 32-bit & 64-bit platforms starting from Windows Vista to Windows 11.

Here are the specific details,

  • Installation Size: 8 MB
  • RAM: 4 GB+ Recommended
  • Operating System: Windows 11,10,8,7,Vista, Windows 2008/2012/2016/2019/2022 (32-bit/64-bit)

Note: Mobile/pads/non-windows devices not supported

Installation

XenArmor PDF Password Protector Pro comes with standard windows installer which allows seamless installation & un-installation.

Launch the setup and follow on-screen instructions to complete the installation as shown below,

After installation, it will launch your software showing activation screen as follows,

Anytime, you can uninstall it directly from the Windows Add/Remove Programs.

How to Use?

XenArmor PDF Password Protector Pro  is very easy to use.

Please follow simple steps to protect your PDF file

  1. First, select type of operation (single file or folder)
  2. Next drag & drop or select your PDF file/folder using browse button
  3. Now set the open password for target file
  4. Optionally, you can choose restrictions such as copy, modify, print etc.
  5. If you set restrictions then you have to set permission password. By default, it will use open password for permission password as well. You can enter different one.
  6. Finally, you can click on “Protect PDF” and your selected or all PDF files in folder will be password protected as shown below,

 

Please note open password is also referred as user password and permission password is also referred as owner password in general.

Here are different scenarios of setting one or both of these passwords,

1. Set open password and empty permission password

In this case, by entering open password, target PDF file can be opened and there will not be any restrictions (copy,edit,print etc)
Here anyone with open password can have full access to PDF file.

2. Empty open password and set permission password

In this case, anyone can open target PDF file but cannot copy, modify or print. However by entering permission password, one can bypass all such restrictions.
Please note in most cases, special softwares like PDF Password Remover Pro can completely remove such password & restrictions. Hence this is not geat protection option.

3. Set both open and permission password

In this case, if the user opens target PDF file by entering open password then he/she can view the contents but cannot copy, edit or print. However if the user opens file by entering permission password then he/she can perform all operations.
With this protection option, you can give open password to those who needs to only view PDF file and give permission password to one who needs to have complete access to it.

PDF Password Protector Pro also automatically installs right click context menu. This allows you to right click on any PDF file and click on “Protect PDF” to quickly protect PDF file.

Also note that Basic Edition supports up to 100 files while Premium Edition supports up to 500 files in folder.
Unlimited Edition supports unlimited files in folder.

Right Click Menu Options

Right click context menu helps you to quickly perform quick tasks & easily copy various fields as shown below.

Settings

Settings Panel help you to tweak & customize various PDF password protection operations.

To launch, simply click on ‘Settings’ button from the main GUI screen and you will see the Settings Panel as shown below,

Below are the detailed explanation for each of these settings,

Target PDF Encryption Type

Here you can select encryption type (RC4, AES) for target PDF file based on compatibility with Adobe Acrobat.
AES-128 or AES-256 is recommended.

Set Suffix for Target File

By default it automatically sets suffix _free to target file. Here you can set new suffix text or disable it completely.

Ignore Files with above Suffix in Folder

In folder mode, by default, it will skip all PDF files with above suffix. This is useful to skip files whose passwords have already been removed.

Remember the Input Password

By default all input parameters including source file, target file, password (encoded) are stored in Settings (settings.db) file. So that you don’t have to enter it next time.
However for security reasons if you want to prevent storing password then you can uncheck this setting.

Enable PDF file right click context menu

This option helps you to enable or disable PDF file right click context menu. Once enabled, you can right click on any PDF file and select “Remove Password” menu option. By default it is enabled for all editions except for Unlimited Edition.

How to Use Command-line Options?

XenArmor PDF Password Protector Pro also supports command-line options. It helps you to fully automate or batch process using your script or program.

Here is the screenshot of using Command-line options

Here are various command-line options & examples

    //Single PDF file
    //
    PDFPasswordProtectorPro.exe -s [source_file]  [target_file] [open_password] [perm_password] -cmp  report.csv 
   
    //Folder mode 
    //
    PDFPasswordProtectorPro.exe -f [source_file]  [target_file] [open_password] [perm_password] -cmp report.csv 


    Examples: 
	
    //Password protect single PDF file 
    PDFPasswordProtectorPro.exe -s "c:\xenarmor\xen.pdf" "c:\xen_protected.pdf" pass123 123pass -cmp report.csv	
	
    //Password protect all PDF files in folder 
    PDFPasswordProtectorPro.exe -f "c:\xenarmor_pdf\" "C:\xenarmor_pdf\" pass123 123pass -cmp report.csv

    //View the status report 
    type report.csv 
	

By default it will generate status report in CSV format.

Also command-line version automatically uses Settings configured via GUI version.

Note: This feature is available only in Enterprise & higher editions.

Automation of PDF Password Protection

XenArmor PDF Password Protector Pro comes with command-line options to help you to automate your PDF password protection operations. It can generate detailed final status report in CSV format.

Here are simple steps to automate PDF password protection using Windows Task Scheduler.

1) Launch Windows Task Scheduler from Administrative Tools in Control Panel. Next click on “Create Basic Task” on right side panel as shown below,

2) On the Basic Task page, enter name as ‘PDF Password Protector’. On next page select ‘Daily or Weekly or Monthly’ with appropriate Time settings as per your need.

3) Next on the ‘Action’ Page, click on Start Program and then enter command & arguments as shown below,

For more command-line options refer to PDF Password Protector Pro Command-line Version section.

4) Finally click on Finish button to schedule the automatic PDF Password protection operation.

Version & Release History

Note: To get download link of latest update please contact our support team with your order details.

Version 6.0 (2024 Edition): 12th Jun 2024

New 2024 release with following major updates,

  • Integrated latest PDF Password Protector Engine
  • Support for PDF file name or location having special characters
  • Increased Maximum PDF files processing count to 100/500 for Basic/Premium Edition respectively
  • New user interface with better list view & other enhancements
  • Modern installer design for seamless installation/uninstallation
  • New License Manager showing exact activation error messages
  • Digitally signed with new EV code certificate from SECTIGO

Version 5.0 (2023 Edition): 28 Apr 2024

Important software release now signed with new EV code certificate from Sectigo, the world leading certificate authority (CA). This greatly enhances trust and reduces Antivirus false positive warning. Also changed names of Personal/Enterprise Edition to Basic/Premium Edition respectively to make it more user friendly.

Version 4.0 (2023 Edition): 17th Jun 2023

Mega 2023 release with following major updates,

  • Latest PDF engine with enhanced PDF password remover
  • New attractive GUI interface
  • New installer design for quick & easy installation
  • Enhanced license manager with fix for upgrade issues

Version 3.0 (2022 Edition): 29th Mar 2022

Mega 2022 edition supporting new Windows 11 platform. Now comes with improved PDF engine for faster PDF password protection operations. Also increased file size limit to 25 for Personal & 100 for Enterprise/Ultimate Editions. Other important fixes include Drag & Drop file issue, right click context menu installation.

Version 2.0 (2021 Edition): 17th May 2021

New 2021 edition with enhanced PDF password engine. Now it automatically remembers previous file & folder locations. Also no more confusion about license activation as each Edition is using separate license key storage

Version 1.0 (2020 Edition): 5th Sep 2020

First public release

Contact XenArmor

Have any more queries or need any technical clarification? Just write to us at support@xenarmor.com and you will have response within 24 to 48 hours.

For more details visit home page of XenArmor PDF Password Protector Pro