Creating PDF files that expire with Safeguard is very simple.
Right-click on your PDFs in Windows File Explorer and select the menu option ‘Make Secure PDF’.
Free 15 Day TrialIn Safeguard Secure PDF Writer, choose the PDF expiry options you want to apply:
You can select both a fixed date and a number of days from first use, a number of views and/or prints. Which ever option is reached first will cause the PDF to expire.
Once you have chosen your PDF expiry options, press the Publish button.
You might want to set a PDF document to never expire but user access to it to cease automatically on a given date.
You can expire PDF files on an individual user basis in the Safeguard Administration System – different users can be given different access periods to the same PDF files.
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Why have expiring PDF documents? |
Locklizard PDF DRM offers a number of ways of using expiry to automatically cease access to documents. But why would you want PDFs to expire?
Selecting a suitable method of stopping access also has to take into account the potential need to change the method.
For instance you may have selected a fixed or given end date and then find that you need to extend the life of the document because of delays in delivering the document or not updating them in the time planned.
Protect your IPRSee why thousands of companies use Locklizard to safeguard their documents and increase revenue streams.
Expire PDF documents on a fixed date
Expire PDFs after a number of days since first open on a per user basis
Expire PDFs after a number of views on a per user basis
Expire PDF files after a number of prints on a per user basis
Expire user accounts on a fixed date so PDF access is ceased
Revoke access to both users and PDF files instantly
There are many reasons to create expiring PDF files and why you may want to expire both documents and users. Each of them has specific effects and controls. But they are not mutually exclusive and can be used in combination, and some may be changed after publishing the document or adding the user.
Document ExpirySafeguard’s PDF expiry options enables document publishers to automatically expire PDF files so they can no longer be used after a certain amount of time. The following options are available:
These options can also be used together so that you can enter say a number of days/views/prints and a fixed date and whatever occurs first causes the document to expire. You might for example want a user to be able to use your documents for a 15 day trial period but those documents will expire on a fixed date regardless if the trial period is used or not.
Expiry dates can be changed on the administration system at any time and you can increase the number of views/prints available for each user.
User ExpirySafeguard’s PDF protection gives you total control over when individual user access to your PDF files expire. You might want to set your PDF files to never expire but have user access to them expire.
Publication ExpirySafeguard’s PDF protection enables you to control PDF expiry to groups of documents (publications) on an individual user basis. Different users will often require document access at different times (and for access to expire accordingly) depending on when first purchased a product (say a training course) or when they were first given access to documents.
A user for example, may have subscribed to one of your publications for a year, and all documents in that publication are accessible to them for a year. After a year, they will still be able to view their existing documents, but not any new ones that are published after their subscription period has ended, unless of course they subscribe for an additional period.
Users can be given access to multiple publications, each with their own expiry period.
Revoke PDF accessBeing able to revoke PDF files is an important part of any document security solution.
While PDF expiry options happen automatically when a certain time frame is reached, you may want to manually revoke access to PDF files to terminate access to protected PDF documents instantly.
There may be times when:
Safeguard’s PDF protection enables you to:
You can revoke access to PDF files at any time no matter where your PDF files are located.
NOTE: In order to revoke PDF access instantly the document must be set to check with the administration system each time it is opened. If you have created PDF files that only check with the administration system every n days then PDF revocation will only take place once a check has occurred.
PDF self destruct, self deleting PDFs & self destroying PDF filesThe ability to create a self destructing, self-destroying or self-deleting PDF file or document sounds like something out of a Mission Impossible film – but it is easily achieved using expiry controls to time limit PDF document access. The end result is to make PDF files inaccessible after a period of time.
By applying expiry controls to a PDF document, access to it will automatically cease after a given time period. This has the same effect as a self-destroying / self-deleting / self-destructing PDF file but is actually more secure since access is permanently removed. If a self-destroying PDF, self-deleting PDF, or self-destructing PDF file is copied to another device, what file have you actually destroyed or deleted? This is the same issue as the remote file deletion one – if a backup has been made then the deletion system is rendered useless. With PDF expiry, the DRM controls remain with the file itself, so even if a backup is taken, the backup file will also automatically expire.
See the section titled “Creating expiring PDF files: Expire PDF documents with Safeguard PDF security” which takes you through adding expiry controls to a PDF file.
Download PDF expiry softwareDownload PDF expiry software that uses US Government strength encryption and digital rights management controls to create expiring PDF files – automatically expire and revoke PDF documents instantly.
Safeguard PDF Security and Enterprise PDF DRM enable you to automatically expire PDF files and revoke PDFs instantly to ensure they remain totally protected no matter where they reside.
Protect PDF files against copying, printing, editing, and unauthorized distribution. Lock PDF files to individual devices and locations so they cannot be shared. Watermark PDFs and log use.
