Preview 5.x: Lock or unlock PDF documents and images

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Lock or unlock PDF documents and images in Preview

You can lock a PDF document or image so that it can’t be edited or deleted in the Finder.

If you own a locked document, you can edit the document after unlocking it. Others can change the document’s contents only by creating a duplicate of the document and editing the duplicate.

Lock or unlock a PDF document or image in Preview

  • To lock a document, choose Lock from the pop-up menu next to the document name in the title bar.
  • To unlock the document, choose Unlock from the pop-up menu next to the document name in the title bar.

If you don’t see the pop-up menu, move the pointer next to the document name in the title bar, and then click the downward-facing arrow.

Lock or unlock a PDF document or image in the Finder

  • To lock a document, select the file in the Finder, choose File > Get Info, and then select the Locked checkbox.
  • To unlock a document, select the file in the Finder, choose File > Get Info, and then deselect the Locked checkbox.
Last Modified: Sep 3, 2015
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