Make PDF Read Only Made Simple For Free

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Up to 100 MB for PDF and up to 25 MB for DOC, DOCX, RTF, PPT, PPTX, JPEG, PNG, JFIF, XLS, XLSX or TXT
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Last updated on Sep 20, 2025

Discover the simplicity of processing PDFs online

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Upload your document in seconds
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Fill out, edit, or eSign your PDF hassle-free
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Download, export, or share your edited file instantly
Top-rated PDF software recognized for its ease of use, powerful features, and impeccable support
Users Most Likely To Recommend - Summer 2025
Grid Leader in Small-Business - Summer 2025
High Performer - Summer 2025
Regional Leader - Summer 2025
Easiest To Do Business With - Summer 2025
Best Meets Requirements- Summer 2025

Every PDF tool you need to get documents
done paper-free

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Create & edit PDFs

Generate new PDFs from scratch or transform existing documents into reusable templates. Type anywhere on a PDF, rewrite original PDF content, insert images or graphics, redact sensitive details, and highlight important information using an intuitive online editor.
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Fill out & sign PDF forms

Say goodbye to error-prone manual hassles. Complete any PDF document electronically – even while on the go. Pre-fill multiple PDFs simultaneously or extract responses from completed forms with ease.
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Organize & convert PDFs

Add, remove, or rearrange pages inside your PDFs in seconds. Create new documents by merging or splitting PDFs. Instantly convert edited files to various formats when you download or export them.
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Collect data and approvals

Transform static documents into interactive fillable forms by dragging and dropping various types of fillable fields on your PDFs. Publish these forms on websites or share them via a direct link to capture data, collect signatures, and request payments.
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Export documents with ease

Share, email, print, fax, or download edited documents in just a few clicks. Quickly export and import documents from popular cloud storage services like Google Drive, Box, and Dropbox.
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Store documents safely

Store an unlimited number of documents and templates securely in the cloud and access them from any location or device. Add an extra level of protection to documents by locking them with a password, placing them in encrypted folders, or requesting user authentication.

Customer trust by the numbers

64M+
users worldwide
4.6/5
average user rating
4M
PDFs edited per month
9 min
average to create and edit a PDF
Join 64+ million people using paperless workflows to drive productivity and cut costs

Why choose our PDF solution?

Cloud-native PDF editor

Access powerful PDF tools, as well as your documents and templates, from anywhere. No installation needed.

Top-rated for ease of use

Create, edit, and fill out PDF documents faster with an intuitive UI that only takes minutes to master.

Industry-leading customer service

Enjoy peace of mind with an award-winning customer support team always within reach.

What our customers say about pdfFiller

See for yourself by reading reviews on the most popular resources:
Great. However, I need to type vertical on the forms I am filling out and am not sure PDFfiller allows this process. There are two pages that I prefer to print on one page but I do not see this option when I am ready to print.
Maurice k
2015-02-17
Excellent service and initially I had an issue which was a user issue and not the fault of this company. This is an excellent product and excellent customer resolving my issue immediately and to my satisfaction. Completely satisfied !!!
Taxman
2016-04-06
What do you like best?
Being able to type into a form that would otherwise be hard to complete.
What do you dislike?
Once document is finished, it is always like a Easter egg hunt to find its saved location on my PC. Should be in downloads folder, but guess again!
What problems are you solving with the product? What benefits have you realized?
PDF filler allows one to complete a complicated form in legible printed characters. This makes a very good impression with clients, banks and other recipients of the finished document.
User in Real Estate
2018-12-22
What do you like best?
I like the ease in completing the forms, the ease in re-locating the form is need be, able to store signatures from officers of the company
What do you dislike?
Not really a "Dislike" just challenging to adjust the fonts to fit in some of the small areas allotted for phone numbers and with the ( ) sometimes challenging to get the numbers to fit properly
Recommendations to others considering the product:
this is a time saver if you have several business forms to be completed. It's easy to use and great for referencing if you need to re-visit the form to tweek.
What problems are you solving with the product? What benefits have you realized?
Ease and time saving in completing credit applications and other business forms
Administrator in Construction
2019-01-09
What do you like best?
I love the ability to make chanced to docs Ive already completed... and even changes to docs other have completed and sent me. Great Program!
What do you dislike?
Ive been using this for a few years and I have not found anything to dislike!
What problems are you solving with the product? What benefits have you realized?
Save paper! Save Ink! PDFfiller is helping Save the World :-)
Ryan Meltcher
2020-02-03
Great tool for conversions Converting PDFs to spread sheets can be time consuming. This software is very functional, and eliminates the hassle. I like being able to convert my PDFs into the proper documents for further use. Most PDFs in their original form are totally unusable. I use this function to convert the document into a spread sheet. Great time saver. Nothing so far. Seems to be easy to use and very convenient.
Tami D.
2019-07-24
Very easy to use. Have saved me so much time. Saves time by not having to re-type documents and I can just add in names on pre-typed forms. It has been instrumental for changing contracts and names on documents I think, if it isn't in place, a way to be able to use it on your mobile device. Most often, I'm on the go and things have to be changed or modified. This could be huge for a busy person like me.
Kevin T.
2017-11-14
Just started using it . Too early, but looks Good! 10/2/2020 I have been using PDFfiller and it is great! I am using my own PDF forms, therefore, I would rather browse the files on my computer rather drag and drop. But this is a personal preference. The drag and drop does work. I am using it to prepare and send contracts to customers and it is well accepted. I have attempted to do this with other popular word processing and spreadsheets and they are very complicated and don't work for me. I like PDFfiller very much.
Les C
2020-10-02
Great! Just don't have the finances to pay for it! Great, handy wee programme, shame I don't have the finances to pay for it but if I did - I would
H MOORE
2020-08-13

How to Make PDF Read Only Online

Even if someone without your permission tries to open your document, they won’t be able to access the data. Just follow the common security recommendations and don't worry about your content being given away. As long as you remember the password or access the document from your pdfFiller account, you can edit it anytime from anywhere.

Make PDF Read Only Feature

The Make PDF Read Only feature provides a simple way to safeguard your important documents from unwanted changes. By enabling this feature, you ensure that only authorized individuals can view your PDF files, while preventing any edits or alterations.

Key Features

Restrict editing capabilities to maintain document integrity
Easy to use interface for quick setup
Compatible with various PDF readers
Secure your sensitive information from unauthorized modifications
Customizable permissions for different users

Potential Use Cases and Benefits

Protecting contracts and legal documents from alterations
Securing educational materials and research papers
Maintaining the integrity of financial reports and presentations
Safeguarding sensitive client information in business workflows
Ensuring that marketing materials are viewed as intended without changes

This feature addresses the common problem of unwanted edits and alterations in PDF documents. By using the Make PDF Read Only feature, you can confidently share your important files without worrying about how they may be changed. Empower yourself with control over your documents and preserve their original content effectively.

Get documents done
from anywhere

Create, edit, and share PDFs even on the go. The pdfFiller app equips you with every tool you need to manage documents on your mobile device. Try it now on iOS or Android!

How to Use the Make PDF Read Only Made Simple Feature

The Make PDF Read Only Made Simple feature in pdfFiller allows you to easily make your PDF documents read-only, ensuring that the content cannot be edited or modified by anyone else. Follow these simple steps to use this feature:

01
Login to your pdfFiller account and navigate to the 'My Documents' section.
02
Select the PDF document you want to make read-only by clicking on it.
03
Once the document is open, click on the 'More' button located at the top-right corner of the screen.
04
From the dropdown menu, choose the 'Make PDF Read Only' option.
05
A confirmation dialog box will appear. Click on the 'Make Read Only' button to proceed.
06
Your PDF document is now read-only. It cannot be edited or modified by anyone else.
07
To share the read-only PDF with others, click on the 'Share' button and choose the desired sharing method (email, link, etc.).

By following these steps, you can easily make your PDF documents read-only using the Make PDF Read Only Made Simple feature in pdfFiller. This feature provides an added layer of security and ensures that your document's content remains intact and unaltered.

Did you know?

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You can easily make a closed Word document read only by changing its properties. If you need to make an opening Word document open only after editing, you can apply the Restrict Editing feature to get it done easily. Other than Restrict Editing, you also can make opening Word documents read only using the Save As Tools feature .

For pdfFiller’s FAQs

Below is a list of the most common customer questions. If you can’t find an answer to your question, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
What if I have more questions?
Contact Support
Protect the document, so it is not editable. Press "Ctrl-A" to select the entire document, or click “Select" in the Editing group of the Home tab and choose “Select All." Select the "Developer" tab and click “Restrict Editing" in the Protect group. Save the document before closing it.

Video Review on How to Make PDF Read Only Made Simple

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Try the PDF solution that respects your time.
Users Most Likely To Recommend - Summer 2025
Grid Leader in Small-Business - Summer 2025
High Performer - Summer 2025
Regional Leader - Summer 2025
Easiest To Do Business With - Summer 2025
Best Meets Requirements- Summer 2025