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Windows' built-in PDF reader is basically Edge and other main browsers have built-in PDF readers too.
Can any of them somehow show you if the PDF you read is protected against editing or not?
Is there a symbol inside the reader that tells you that?
Example: The PDF that is linked from https://www.reddit.com/r/LawSchool/comments/6t29ym/nyle_question_control_f_not_working_on_outline/
LWC
Posted 2019-06-04T05:50:25.757
Reputation: 263
0
Here's a quick rundown of what you see with Firefox, Chromium, Edge and Foxit Reader. I tested the referenced New York Course Materials PDF, along with other non-protected PDFs. Just to be doubly sure, I've tried opening these PDFs as a file as well as a URL to make sure there's no unusual behaviour with local files.
Foxit Reader isn't a browser, but we'll use it as a control in this test to show that it recognizes a document is protected. This is shown in the title bar and the file properties panel.
Microsoft Edge doesn't directly indicate anything, but upon closer inspection, the Add Notes button is only ever disabled on the protected documents.
Chromium doesn't give any indication at all. There's nothing available on the toolbar related to modifying the document or inspecting its metadata.
Firefox is the same as Chromium.
So, go figure... Edge is your best bet!
BoffinBrain
Posted 2019-06-04T05:50:25.757
Reputation: 1 896
Great discovery about Edge! Just one problem: as you can see in your Foxit screenshot, "Adding Notes" is only a specific type of protection. A file can be protected without it. – LWC – 2019-10-26T08:17:37.003
I guess it depends on the semantics of whether 'adding a note' is considered as 'commenting' or 'changing the document' as far as PDF security goes. – BoffinBrain – 2019-10-27T01:26:42.020
I don't think it matters. As long as even one restriction (from the list in your screenshot) is "Not Allowed", then the file should be considered as protected. – LWC – 2019-10-28T06:06:11.813
Well, I think that given what I've shown so far, you're not going to find a browser that gives any more info than Edge, and Edge only goes so far, sadly! – BoffinBrain – 2019-10-28T13:05:01.357
Alright, I've therefore accepted your answer. – LWC – 2019-10-29T17:53:59.457
Do you have an example PDF that's edit-protected? – BoffinBrain – 2019-10-23T21:58:31.860
It was practically impossible to find an online example. It seems most file owners who protect their files don't want to expose they did so. But I found an example nonetheless and added it to the question. Does it help? – LWC – 2019-10-25T08:24:33.903
Try to use this extension for Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pdf-viewer/oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm. It should give you the option to show the properties. Maybe there are similar extensions for other browsers. I can't find any native function for that either in the default PDF-viewers. They are probably too basic.
– Erjen Rijnders – 2019-10-25T08:32:54.920