How to Create a Password-Protected PDF eBook
By K.C. Winslow
The PDF format is popular for eBooks because it displays graphics and text consistently on multiple platforms. Password-protected, or encrypted, eBooks ensure that only those who have permission to view the eBook are able to open the PDF file. Using a text file from a program like Microsoft Word or a page layout file from a program like Adobe InDesign, you can create a password-protected PDF eBook in several ways.
Step 1
Go online to create a password-protected PDF eBook by registering for BCL Premium Online Service, a free service as of April 2010. Sign in and click on the option to "Create a PDF." Upload a file to the system and select the "Security" option. Enter a password in the text field and press "Convert" to create the PDF. BCL Premium will email the password-protected PDF to your address.
Step 2
Use Adobe Acrobat, a PDF creation and editing program, to create a password-protected PDF eBook. You can create a PDF from many different document types in Acrobat. Go to the "Advanced" menu, select "Security" and highlight "Password Protect." This opens a settings page where you can enter the password and specify the level of security you want on the eBook.
Step 3
Use the "Print" menu in the application in which you composed the eBook to save the document as an encrypted PDF eBook. The option is included for Mac OS X users. However, Windows users will need to download and install the free version of CutePDF (or a similar program), which installs itself to the printer subsystem of the computer. To use this option, open the "Print" menu in any application, select "PDF" and highlight "Save as PDF." Then press the "Security Options" button to enter a password for the eBook.
References
Writer Bio
A writer from Chicago, K.C. Winslow has been publishing articles relating to health, beauty, travel, crafts, education, Macintosh computers and technology since 2000. She holds a Master of Arts degree in writing from the University of Melbourne, Australia, where she lived for several years.