Doc Summary 
This guide will show you how to use Media Padlock to quickly secure a PDF file (it can be any other media format) by applying various protections, including safeguards against copying and screen captures.
Step 1: Open the File to Protect #
To begin, launch Media Padlock. From the welcome screen, click the “Open Media File” button to select the document you wish to secure:
Next, select your PDF file from the file explorer window that appears.
Step 2: Review File Properties #
Once the file is loaded, you will see the “File Properties” tab. Here, you can review and edit your document’s metadata, such as the Document Title, copyright information, and add a description if needed.
Step 3: Configure Content Protection #
Navigate to the “Content Protection” tab on the left-hand menu. This is where you can set the security restrictions.
In this section, you have several options:
- Enable Content Protection: This primary option prevents screen captures and content copying.
- PDF Permissions: You can also specifically override and control permissions for printing, document modification, or content extraction.
For this demonstration, content protection is toggled off (for video recording purposes). In a real-world scenario, you would leave this option set to “Enabled”.
Step 4: Start the Protection Process #
After configuring your desired security settings, click the “Protect Media” icon in the top toolbar or press F5:
The software will now process your file. This operation only takes a few seconds depending on the media file size.
Step 5: Access the Protected File #
Once the process is complete, a confirmation message will appear in the “Protection Log” at the bottom of the window. This message confirms that the file was successfully protected and provides its location:
The new, secure file will have the same name as the original but with the .mplock extension. It is now ready to be shared and can only be opened with the Media Padlock viewer, enforcing the restrictions you have set.
