> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.apryse.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.apryse.com/cli/pdfsecure/usage.md). # Examples of securing PDFs from command-line Secure your PDF documents with Apryse's PDFSecure command-line application. Add, remove, or change security settings easily. Learn how to use PDFSecure with various examples and options. The Apryse CL Apryse's **PDFSecure** is a command-line application designed to add, remove, or change security settings on existing PDF documents or whole directories of documents. PDFSecure can also be used to modify document information metadata and to web-optimize files through a process known as linearization. This section covers the basic use of PDFSecure explaining all the available options. ## Basic Syntax The basic command-line syntax is: `pdfsecure [options] file1 file2 folder1 file3 ...` See more options in: * [Command-Line Summary](/cli/pdfsecure/options/command-line.md) * [Permission Options](/cli/pdfsecure/options/permission.md) * [Document Information Options](/cli/pdfsecure/options/information.md) ## General Usage Examples ### **Example 1. Securing a single PDF document using 128 bit RC4 encryption and user (open) password** Notes: * The '-o' parameter is used to specify the output file. If the output filename was not specified, PDFSecure will prompt you for a permission to modify the original file. * The '-s' parameter specifies that the output document should be encrypted using 128 bit RC4 encryption. * The '-u' parameter specifies the password required to access the secured document. `pdfsecure -o test_out/ex1/blue_secret.pdf -s 128 -u secret test/blue.pdf` ### **Example 2. Securing a folder of PDF documents using AES encryption and user (open) password** Notes: * Because there is more than one input file, the '-o' parameter is used to specify the destination folder ('test\_out/ex2') instead of a filename. * The '-s' parameter specifies that the output document should be encrypted using AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption. AES and Crypt filters are supported in PDF 1.6 (Acrobat 7) and higher. `pdfsecure -o test_out/ex2 -s AES -u secret test` ### **Example 3. Securing a file with a user (open) and an owner (permission) password and setting permissions** Notes: * In this example, the '-w' parameter is used to specify the owner (or permission) password and the '-d' parameter is used to disable all permissions. `pdfsecure -o test_out/ex3/r1.pdf -s 128 -u userpass -w ownerpass -d a test/red.pdf` ### **Example 4. Setting Permissions** Notes: * In this example, the '-e' parameter is used to selectively enable high and low resolution printing on all PDF documents located under the 'test' folder, while disabling all other permissions. * The '--subfolders' parameter is used to indicate that PDFSecure should recursively process all subfolders. `pdfsecure -o test_out/ex4 -s 128 -w foo -d mcofxs -e ph --subfolders test` * The following example disables any modifications to the document except commenting, and enables content extraction (such as copy and paste). `pdfsecure -o test_out/ex4/out2.pdf -s 128 -w foo -d ms -e cox test/red.pdf` ### **Example 5. Removing Security** Notes: * The '-s' parameter specifies that encryption should be removed from all documents. * This sample decrypts files generated in Example 4. Because these files are only protected using an owner (permission) password, PDFSecure does not require any password to remove the security. `pdfsecure -o test_out/ex5 -s R test test_out/ex4/out2.pdf` `pdfsecure -o test_out/ex5 -s R test test_out/ex4` * Files that are secured in examples 1, 2 and 3 are protected with a user (or open) password and this password is required to remove the security. The password required to open input documents is specified using the '--p' parameter. If the user password is not specified, PDFSecure prompts the user for a valid password. `pdfsecure -o test\_out/ex5/ex3r1.pdf -s R -p userpass test_out/ex3/r1.pdf` `pdfsecure -o test_out/ex5 -s R -p secret test_out/ex2/test --subfolders` `pdfsecure -o test_out/ex5/e1.pdf -s R -p secret test_out/ex1/blue_secret.pdf` ### Example 6. Modifying Document Information Metadata Notes: * Using PDFSecure it is possible to modify document information metadata (e.g. Author, Subject, Title, Keywords, etc.) on individual documents or uniformly across document collections. For example: `pdfsecure -o test_out/ex6 --title "My Title" --subject "My Subject" --creator "Source App" --producer "PDFSecure" --author "Joe Doe" --keywords "key1 key2 key3" test` ### **Example 7. PDF Linearization (Fast Web View Enabling)** Notes: * In order to provide good performance over relatively slow communication links, PDFSecure can generate PDF documents with linearized objects and hint tables that can allow a PDF viewer application to download and view one page of a PDF file at a time, rather than requiring the entire file (including fonts and images) to be downloaded before any of it can be viewed. In this example, the '--l' parameter is used to specify that all processed documents should be linearized. `pdfsecure -o test_out/ex7 -l test_out/ex6` ### **Example 8. Combining Different Operations** Notes: * With PDFSecure it is possible to combine different operations described above in a single command-line. For example: `pdfsecure -o test_out/ex8 -l --title "My Title" --subject "My Subject" --creator "SourceApp"- producer "PDFSecure" --author "Joe Doe" --keywords "key1 key2 key3" -s AES -u userpass -w ownerpass -d chsmx -e of test` The above command-line: * Applies linearization to all output documents. * Sets various parameters in document information dictionary. * Secures all output documents using AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption. * Sets the user (open) password to 'userpass'. * Sets the owner (permission) password to 'ownerpass' * Disables high-resolution printing, content extraction, and document modification (including document assembly), but enables commenting and form filling. ## Batch Processing and the Use of Wildcards PDF\_Secure\_ supports processing of multiple input documents in the same run. For example, it is possible to specify multiple PDF folders and PDFSecure will automatically process all PDF documents matching a given file extension. For example, the following command-line will process all PDF documents in folders 'test1' and 'test2' `c:\>pdfsecure -o c:/output_folder -s 128 -u secret c:/test1 c:/test2` Wildcard characters can also be used to process multiple input files. For example, if a directory contains the following PDF documents: {% tabs %} {% tab title="Shell" %} {% code lineNumbers="true" %} ```sh C:\test1 >dir Directory of C:\test1 01/04/2007 03:35 PM . 01/04/2007 03:35 PM .. 05/21/2004 02:27 PM A1.pdf 05/03/2005 09:38 AM A2.pdf 05/20/2003 08:46 AM B1.pdf 05/15/2003 12:50 PM B2.pdf ``` {% endcode %} {% endtab %} {% endtabs %} To process all PDF documents in this folder, you could specify: `pdfsecure -o c:/output_folder -s 128 -u secret c:/test1/*.pdf` To process all PDF documents starting with 'A', you could specify: `pdfsecure -o c:/output_folder -s 128 -u secret c:/test1/A*.pdf` Or to process all PDF documents ending with '1', you could specify: `pdfsecure -o c:/output_folder -s 128 -u secret c:/test1/*1.pdf` You can use either of the two standard wildcards --- the question mark (?) and the asterisk (\*) --- to specify filename and path arguments on the command line. The wildcards are expanded in the same manner as operating system commands. (Please refer to your operating system user's guide if you are unfamiliar with wildcards). Enclosing an argument in double quotation marks (**" "**) suppresses the wildcard expansion. Within quoted arguments, you can represent quotation marks literally by preceding the double-quotation-mark character with a backslash (**\\**). If no matches are found for the wildcard argument, the argument is passed literally. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.apryse.com/cli/pdfsecure/usage.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.