In an age where sending digital documents is the norm, ensuring the security of your documents is a must. You can be a small business owner, a student, or someone who’s managing sensitive information: knowing how to protect documents is now an essential aspect of avoiding data theft or breaches.
One of the easiest means of safeguarding your files is with password protection. In this article, we take a look at the most straightforward ways to shield your data from unwanted prying eyes.
Why Password Protection Matters
In the same manner, we don’t leave our house unlocked with the front door open, so why would we leave our digital documents unprotected? Every day, we process so much sensitive information, including contracts, financial records, and even personal journals. It would be a bummer if any of this fell into the wrong hands.
Unfortunately, we live in an age where cyberattacks and accidental sharing are all too common. Keep in mind that once the data is out, it’s impossible to contain. Rather than go through the drag and embarrassment of seeing your file spread over the internet, it’s better to be proactive before the event and password protect a file.
What you’re really doing is adding an additional layer of security against unauthorized access. As many files are passed between clients and colleagues, password-protecting the data lets them know you take security seriously. With just a small step, it’s possible to secure some peace of mind.
When Should You Password Protect Your Files?
The correct answer to this question is “anytime you’re sharing or storing sensitive information.” For example, if you’re collaborating on work projects, managing confidential documents, or even just organizing personal files, using password protection is going to be critical. You should consider it when:
- Sending files over email or cloud services
- Storing documents in shared drives
- Archiving old files containing sensitive data
How to Password Protect Your Digital Files
When it comes to actually password-protecting your documents, much will depend on the file type and the tools you have available. Below, we’ve listed several ways to secure your documents.
Password Protect a PDF
The main reason PDFs are widely used is because they’re easy to share and impossible to edit without permission. To add password to PDF, there are many web tools like PDF Guru that make the whole process straightforward.
- Open the file
- Navigate to the “Secure” option
- Follow the prompts to set a password
In this manner, only authorized users can open or edit the file.
Password Protect a Word Document
How to password protect a Word document? The process is as simple as it is quick:
- Open the document.
- Head to the “File” menu and select “Info.”
- Click on “Protect Document.”
- Choose “Encrypt with Password,” and you’re all set.
How to Save a PDF as a Word Document
Sometimes, it’s necessary to switch formats before password-protecting your file. To do so, you can use an online converter that allows you to save a PDF as a Word document. Once the conversion is done, you can easily add password protection to the Word file or return it to a PDF format with encryption.
Choosing a Strong Password
Learning how to make a password is more complex than you might think. However, setting one that’s both hard to decipher and memorable is critical. We strongly suggest you avoid obvious choices like “123456” or “password.” Instead, mix it up with random uppercase and lowercase numbers and symbols.
Other Ways to Secure Your Files
Knowing how to protect documents with passwords is essential to secure your data. Yet, you can also enhance their security with the following tips:
- Encryption: Beyond password protection, it’s always a good idea to encrypt your files so that even if someone gets the file, they can’t access its content without a key.
- Limit Sharing: Make use of cloud platforms that allow you to control who can view, edit, or share your document.
- Update Security Regularly: Change passwords and also review file permissions frequently.
How to Safely Share Password-Protected Files
You’d be surprised as to how many people make basic mistakes when it comes to using passwords. For example, password protection doesn’t mean much if you send the password along with the file! Yes, it happens.
Make sure you only share passwords through secure channels. For example, separate the document from the password by sending the document over email whilst sharing the password via text or call. Using completely separate channels lessens the possibility of a breach.
Why Your Business Should Take Security Seriously
For any businesses, a data breach can result in huge losses, be they financial and reputational. That’s why ensuring sensitive business files are protected is not just good practice; it’s often a regulatory requirement. In truth, there’s no excuse, as secure tools like PDF Guru make it easy to password protect PDF files while simultaneously also offering compliance with industry standards.
The Bottom Line
If you’ve ever wondered how to protect documents or why it matters, now you know. Whether you’re learning how to password protect PDF or simply adding security to your important files, you can save an awful lot of heartache in the long run. Don’t wait until it’s too late, as the consequences could be fatal to your business. Always secure your digital documents as you make them: it’s the only way to control your data with certainty.
