Class PdfProtection

Namespace

DocToolkit

Assembly

DocToolkit.Pdf.dll

The password and permissions applied by Protect(byte[], PdfProtection).

public sealed class PdfProtection

Inheritance

object

PdfProtection

Inherited Members

object.Equals(object)

object.Equals(object, object)

object.GetHashCode()

object.GetType()

object.ReferenceEquals(object, object)

object.ToString()

Remarks

The two passwords do different jobs, and mixing them up is the usual mistake.

• UserPassword is needed to open the document. Without it, the file cannot be read at all.
• OwnerPassword is needed to change the restrictions. A document with only an owner password opens for anyone, and the permissions below are what a reader is asked to honour.

Permissions are a request to the reader, not a guarantee. Measured 2026-08-16: a document carrying only an owner password opens with no password at all — that is the PDF specification working as designed, not a defect here. A cooperative reader greys out printing; an uncooperative one need not. If content must not be read, use UserPassword — that is enforced by cryptography rather than by convention.

Every permission defaults to allowed, so adding a password does not silently forbid printing a document that could be printed before.

Properties

AllowAnnotations

Adding or editing annotations is permitted. Defaults to true.

public bool AllowAnnotations { get; init; }

Property Value

bool

AllowAssembly

Inserting, rotating and deleting pages is permitted. Defaults to true.

public bool AllowAssembly { get; init; }

Property Value

bool

AllowCopying

Copying text and graphics out is permitted. Defaults to true.

public bool AllowCopying { get; init; }

Property Value

bool

AllowFormFilling

Filling in form fields is permitted. Defaults to true.

public bool AllowFormFilling { get; init; }

Property Value

bool

AllowHighQualityPrinting

Full-resolution printing is permitted. Defaults to true. Ignored by readers when AllowPrinting is false.

public bool AllowHighQualityPrinting { get; init; }

Property Value

bool

AllowModification

Changing the content is permitted. Defaults to true.

public bool AllowModification { get; init; }

Property Value

bool

AllowPrinting

Printing is permitted. Defaults to true.

public bool AllowPrinting { get; init; }

Property Value

bool

OwnerPassword

The password required to change the permissions below. null or empty means none is set.

public string? OwnerPassword { get; init; }

Property Value

string

Strength

The cipher to use. Defaults to Aes128 — see that member for why the stronger option is not the default.

public PdfEncryptionStrength Strength { get; init; }

Property Value

PdfEncryptionStrength

UserPassword

The password required to open the document. null or empty means the document opens without one.

public string? UserPassword { get; init; }

Property Value

string