Batch Protect PDF – Frequently Asked Questions

The Batch Protect PDF tool is a free online service that allows you to protect multiple PDF files at once with password protection and permission restrictions.

Key Features:

• Multiple File Upload: Upload multiple PDFs simultaneously
• Single Password: Set one password that applies to all files
• Batch Processing: All PDFs processed automatically in sequence
• Individual Downloads: Download each protected PDF separately
• Same Permissions: Apply identical permission settings to all files
• Time Saver: Much faster than protecting PDFs one by one

Technical Implementation: The tool accepts multiple PDF uploads using HTML5 multiple file input. After you set a password and permissions, the server loops through each uploaded PDF and applies TCPDF's SetProtection() method with the same password and permissions to each file. Each file is processed using FPDI to import pages, then protection is applied, generating individual protected PDFs with download links.

You can protect multiple PDF files in a single batch operation.

Upload Capabilities:

• Multiple File Input: HTML5 multiple attribute allows simultaneous uploads
• No Strict Limit: No hard limit on file count
• Practical Limits: Depends on:
  • Browser memory capacity
  • Total file size (typically 2GB per request max)
  • Server processing time
• Recommended: 2-20 PDFs per batch for optimal performance
• Large Batches: For 50+ PDFs, consider splitting into multiple batch operations

Performance Considerations:

• Each PDF is processed sequentially on the server
• Larger batches take longer to process
• Progress shown for each file during processing

Yes, you set a single password that is applied to all uploaded PDFs in the batch.

How It Works:

• One Password Field: Enter password once
• Applied to All: The same password protects every PDF in the batch
• Consistency: All protected PDFs share the same password
• Convenience: Recipients only need to remember one password for all files

Use Cases for Same Password:

• Related Documents: Chapters of a book, sections of a report
• Distribution Sets: Multiple documents for the same recipient or group
• Document Packages: Forms, contracts, and supporting materials
• Departmental Files: All files for a team with shared access password

Need Different Passwords?

• Use the regular Protect PDF tool
• Process each file individually with its own password
• This is necessary when:
  • Files go to different recipients
  • Different security levels required
  • Client-specific passwords needed

Batch processing automatically applies protection to each PDF in sequence.

Batch Processing Workflow:

1. Upload PDFs: Select multiple PDF files simultaneously
2. Set Password: Enter the password to apply to all files
3. Configure Permissions: Choose which permissions to allow (print, copy, modify, annotate)
4. Submit: Click "Protect PDFs" button
5. Server Processing:
   • Server receives all files and settings
   • Loops through each PDF file in order
   • For each PDF:
     • Import pages using FPDI
     • Apply SetProtection() with password and permissions
     • Generate protected PDF
     • Save to temporary folder
   • Progress indicator updates for each file
6. Download Links: Individual download link generated for each protected PDF

Technical Details:

• Sequential Processing: PDFs processed one after another (not in parallel)
• Same Settings: All PDFs get identical password and permissions
• Error Handling: If one PDF fails, others continue processing
• File Isolation: Each protected PDF is an independent file

Processing Time:

• Depends on number of files and file sizes
• Typical: 1-3 seconds per PDF
• 10 PDFs ≈ 10-30 seconds total

The tool provides individual download links for each protected PDF.

Download Options:

• Individual Links: Each protected PDF has its own download button/link
• Click to Download: Click each link to download that specific file
• Sequential Download: Most browsers download files one at a time
• Filename Indication: Links show the protected filename for easy identification

Why Individual Downloads?

• File Control: Choose which files to download
• Selective Download: Download only needed files, skip others
• Verification: Test each protected PDF individually
• Browser Compatibility: Works reliably across all browsers

Batch Download Tips:

• Browser Features: Some browsers allow clicking multiple download links quickly
• Download Manager: Browser download managers can queue multiple downloads
• Right-Click: Right-click links and "Save As" to choose download location

Alternative for Many Files:

For very large batches (20+ files), consider future features that may bundle protected PDFs into a ZIP archive for single download.

No, the same permissions are applied to all PDFs in the batch.

Batch Permission Behavior:

• Single Permission Set: One set of permission checkboxes for the entire batch
• Applied to All: All PDFs receive identical permission restrictions
• Efficiency Trade-off: Simplified interface for faster batch processing

Permission Options (Applied to All):

• Allow Printing (or restrict printing)
• Allow Copying Text (or restrict text copying)
• Allow Modification (or restrict editing)
• Allow Annotations (or restrict comments)

When Same Permissions Work Well:

• Document Sets: Related documents with same security requirements
• Standard Policy: All files follow company security policy
• Distribution Packages: Files for same audience with same access needs

Need Different Permissions?

• Use the regular Protect PDF tool
• Process each file individually with custom permissions
• Example scenarios:
  • File A: Allow printing, File B: Restrict printing
  • File A: Read-only, File B: Editable

Yes! The Batch Protect PDF tool is fully responsive and mobile-friendly.

Mobile Features:

• Multiple File Upload: Mobile file pickers support multiple file selection
• Password Input: Mobile-optimized secure text input
• Permission Checkboxes: Touch-friendly checkbox controls
• Server-Side Processing: All encryption happens on server (no performance impact on mobile)
• Individual Downloads: Tap download links for each protected PDF

Mobile Tips:

• Works on all modern smartphones and tablets (iOS, Android)
• Ensure stable internet connection for batch uploads
• For large batches (10+ files), desktop browser may be more convenient for managing downloads
• Processing speed is same on mobile and desktop (server-side)

No, we do not permanently store your files or passwords.

How We Handle Your Data:

• Temporary Storage: Uploaded PDFs stored in /tmp folder only during batch processing
• Password Handling: Password used immediately for encryption, then discarded
  • Not logged
  • Not stored in any database
  • Not visible to server administrators
• Protected PDFs: Generated files stored temporarily for download
• Automatic Cleanup: All temporary files deleted after session ends
• Session Isolation: Each user's batch isolated with unique session identifiers

Security Measures:

• HTTPS encryption for all uploads, passwords, and downloads
• No logging of passwords or file contents
• Server-side processing without content inspection
• Temporary file cleanup after downloads

Privacy Guarantee:

• We cannot access your password after processing
• We do not have access to protected PDFs after download
• Batch processing is isolated per session

Each protected PDF is named based on the original filename with a prefix.

Naming Convention:

• Format: protected_[original_filename].pdf
• Examples:
  • Original: report.pdf → Protected: protected_report.pdf
  • Original: contract_v2.pdf → Protected: protected_contract_v2.pdf
  • Original: invoice_2025.pdf → Protected: protected_invoice_2025.pdf

Why This Naming?

• Easy Identification: "protected_" prefix clearly identifies protected versions
• Original Reference: Original filename maintained for easy tracking
• Batch Organization: All protected files grouped alphabetically by prefix
• Avoid Overwriting: Prevents overwriting original files if downloaded to same folder

File Management:

• Download protected files to a dedicated folder
• Rename files if you prefer different naming convention
• Original filenames help you identify which file is which in large batches

The Batch Protect PDF tool uses server-side processing with batch-optimized workflows.

Backend Technologies:

• TCPDF's SetProtection(): Applies password protection to each PDF
  • Same password and permissions applied to all files
  • Standard PDF encryption (128-bit RC4 or AES)
• FPDI: Imports pages from each uploaded PDF
• PHP Looping: Iterates through array of uploaded files
  • foreach ($files as $file) { ... }
  • Sequential processing of each PDF
• File Handling: Temporary file storage and cleanup

Frontend Technologies:

• HTML5 Multiple File Input: <input type="file" multiple> for simultaneous uploads
• JavaScript: File validation and upload management
• Progress Indicators: Shows processing status for each file
• Dynamic Links: Generates individual download link for each protected PDF

Processing Workflow:

1. User uploads multiple PDFs and sets password/permissions
2. Server receives all files as array
3. PHP loops through each file:
   • Import pages using FPDI
   • Apply SetProtection() with shared password/permissions
   • Generate protected PDF with "protected_" prefix
   • Store in temp folder
4. Generate download links for all protected PDFs
5. Return links to user
6. User downloads each protected PDF individually

Batch Optimization:

• Single password input reduces user effort
• Single permission configuration applies to all
• Sequential processing ensures reliability