Skip to content
Documentation

PDF Password Protection

Add password protection to your merged PDFs. Each document can have a unique password based on your spreadsheet data.

How it works

PDF password protection encrypts each merged PDF with a password. You can set a single password for all documents, or use a password template with [[ColumnName]] placeholders to assign a unique password per recipient from your spreadsheet data.

Before you begin

Plan your password strategy before merging. Decide whether all PDFs share one password (simpler) or each gets a unique one (more secure). If using unique passwords, ensure your spreadsheet has a column with the desired password values.

Setting a Password

  1. Open output configuration

    In the merge dialog, expand the Output Configuration section.

  2. Set a password template

    Enter a password template in the Password field. Use [[ColumnName]] placeholders to pull values from your spreadsheet:

    • Fixed password: MySecret123
    • Per-recipient: [[CustomerID]]
    • Combined: doc_[[LastName]]_[[Year]]
    • With prefix: inv_[[InvoiceNumber]]

    Password strength

    For best security, use passwords that are at least 8 characters long and include a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. If using spreadsheet data as passwords, consider combining multiple columns for stronger passwords.

  3. Merge or send

    Run the merge or email campaign as usual. Each output PDF is encrypted with the resolved password. Recipients must enter the password to open the file.

Passwords in Email Campaigns

When sending password-protected PDFs via email, you can include the password in the email body template:

Subject: Your Encrypted Document

Dear [[Name]],

Please find your encrypted document attached.
Your password is: [[CustomerID]]

Best regards,
The Team

Security note

Sending the password in the same email as the protected PDF reduces security. Consider sharing passwords through a separate channel (SMS, password manager, or a separate email). If you must include the password in the email, ensure your email transport is encrypted (TLS).

Compatibility

  • Encrypted PDFs are compatible with Adobe Acrobat, Preview (macOS), Chrome, Firefox, and most PDF readers
  • Uses RC4 128-bit encryption
  • Some older PDF readers may not support modern encryption standards — ensure recipients use up-to-date software
  • Mobile PDF viewers (iOS Files, Android Google PDF Viewer) support encrypted PDFs

Best Practices

  • Use unique passwords per document — Avoid using the same password for all recipients in a large merge
  • Communicate passwords separately — Send passwords through a different channel than the PDF itself
  • Test before bulk send — Send a test email to yourself to verify the password works correctly
  • Keep a password record — Document the password template used for each campaign in case recipients need support
  • Avoid personal data as passwords — Using names or emails as passwords is insecure. Use IDs, generated codes, or combined values instead

Limitations

  • No password recovery — Lost passwords cannot be recovered. You must re-merge the document
  • Same user and owner password — The password you set is used for both opening the document and PDF permissions. You cannot set a separate owner password
  • No permission restrictions — Password protection encrypts the document but does not restrict printing, copying, or editing. It only prevents opening without the password
  • No encryption in combine mode — When merging in “combine” mode (all rows in one PDF), per-row password encryption is not available. Use “split” mode to generate individually encrypted PDFs

Previous

Email Tracking & Analytics

Next

Merge History