Add Expiry Date To PDF
How to Add An Expiry Date to Any PDF Document
It is common knowledge that PDF documents are so versatile that you can control user permissions such as restricting the ability to print, copy or modify the document. Whats not so common is how to set a PDF document to expire so that it cannot be opened after a certain date has passed. This is a really handy feature if you are sending out documents that contain time-sensitive offers or intellectual property such as training/course materials.
There are two methods of setting PDF expiration in All-About-PDF; by using JavaScript or by using our proprietary DRM technology.
To be clear from the offset, putting an expiry date on a PDF document using the JavaScript method should not be considered a security feature as it can be easily bypassed and not all PDF readers support the feature (for example, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge have only recently added support for JavaScript in PDF files).
If you require an expiration date on a PDF that uses strong encryption and cannot be easily bypassed then we recommend using the DRM method. This however requires the end user to use our special PDF readers for Windows, iOS/iPadOS or on the web using Google Chrome web browser. For more information, please refer to this article.
Please note, PDF Expiration using the JavaScript method is only supported in readers that support JavaScript including (but not limited to):
USAGE SCENARIOS
Scenario #1: Imagine you are an online training provider and your online courses require that you distribute training materials to your students as PDF files.
The courses can last from a few days to weeks and you need to make sure that all the training materials cannot be easily printed, copied and distributed to other people that have not signed up to your course.
You also need to make sure the training materials are time-limited to the duration of each course.
This is where using All-About-PDF PDF expiry with DRM comes into play as it would allow you to create time-limited protected course materials with custom restrictions to printing, copying and distribution.
Scenario #2: Let’s say you are going to be creating a quote for your customer that is only valid for 14 days. After day 14, you want the PDF to display a message stating that the PDF has expired and the customer should contact you instead. The document should then automatically close.
To achieve the above with All-About-PDF, follow the steps below:
Open All-About-PDF and click the “Set Expiry” button
Select the PDF file that you would to add the expiry date to
Select the method to use for setting the expiration date
Scripting Method uses JavaScript and can be easily bypassed
DRM Method uses strong 256-bit encryption and is tamper proof. The PDF is saved as a PDFe document.
Select the expiry date from the calendar drop-down
Add the message that will be displayed once the PDF expires
For JavaScript method, you can also specify to obscure the document contents for PDF readers that do not support PDF scripting as well as when the document has expired.
For the DRM method, you can choose to use an internet clock so that the expiration cannot be bypassed even if the end user turns back their system clock
Hit the “Go” button to process the PDF
If using the JavaScript method, the new file will be saved in the same location as the original file with an “expiry” added to the file name. If using the DRM method, the file will be saved to the same location with the “pdfe” extension.
Once the expiry date passes, your document recipient will be greeted with your message as shown below:
To add expiry dates to your PDF files, download All-About-PDF today!