Learn why you can't upload a secured, protected, or locked PDF, and discover alternative methods to protect your publications.
Table of contents
Understanding Flipsnack's handling of secured PDFs
Why view-restricted PDFs cannot be uploaded
Why Flipsnack restricts downloading of edit-restricted PDFs
Using Flipsnack for password-protected flipbooks
Advanced security: authentication-based access control
Overview
Flipsnack is committed to maintaining the integrity and security of your organization's documents. If you are experiencing issues uploading secured PDFs to Flipsnack, this guide will help you understand why certain files may be restricted and what solutions are available.
Our platform employs rigorous scanning protocols to detect and manage secured PDFs, ensuring compliance with the original document’s security settings. This article outlines the types of secured PDFs, explains the limitations of uploading them to Flipsnack, and presents alternative solutions within our platform to help you protect and share your flipbooks securely.
Requirements
- Unsecured PDF Files: Ensure your PDFs are not locked with passwords before uploading to Flipsnack.
Types of Secured PDFs
1. User-Locked PDFs (View Restrictions)
- Description: These PDFs require a password to open, view, duplicate, print, copy, or edit.
- Flipsnack Compatibility: Flipsnack's system will detect these restrictions and prevent uploading such files.
2. Owner-Locked PDFs (Edit Restrictions)
- Description: These PDFs can be viewed without a password, but modifications are restricted.
- Flipsnack Compatibility: You can upload owner-locked PDFs to Flipsnack without issues. However, if you add interactive elements like links or videos within Flipsnack, downloading the modified file will be restricted to preserve the original document's integrity.
Understanding Flipsnack's handling of secured PDFs
Flipsnack prioritizes document integrity, privacy, and security when processing secured PDFs. Below, we explain why user-locked files are rejected, why owner-locked PDFs are accepted, and how you can proceed if your file was not uploaded successfully.
Why view-restricted PDFs cannot be uploaded
PDFs that require a password to be opened are designed to restrict access to unauthorized viewers. Flipsnack does not bypass these password protections or attempt to override access controls. If you are not the original creator or do not have the password, we recommend adhering to the document's security settings and using Flipsnack with other file types.
If you are the document owner and wish to display the PDF as a flipbook while maintaining security, consider removing the password from the original file and using Flipsnack’s built-in privacy features for enhanced protection.
Why Flipsnack restricts downloading of edit-restricted PDFs
When a PDF is owner-locked for editing, the file creator has explicitly restricted modifications to preserve its original form. While Flipsnack allows users to add interactive elements like links and videos, these are layered over the file rather than altering the document. However, to uphold document integrity and prevent unauthorized edits, Flipsnack does not allow downloads of PDFs that have been modified within the platform.
Flipsnack takes security and privacy seriously, ensuring that restricted PDFs are handled in a way that respects the original document owner’s intent. If a password is set on a file, it will be processed differently from unrestricted PDFs to maintain its security settings.
Using Flipsnack for password-protected flipbooks
If you need to control access to your flipbook but do not want to compromise security, Flipsnack offers password protection. Remove the password from the original PDF before uploading it, and use Flipsnack’s built-in privacy settings. When a flipbook is password-protected in Flipsnack, no pages will be displayed unless the correct password is entered.
For additional security, we recommend disabling PDF downloads in the Customize section to prevent unauthorized distribution.
Advanced security: authentication-based access control
While passwords offer basic protection, they can be shared. To ensure that only authorized users access your flipbooks, Flipsnack provides an authentication-based access control system.
- Restricted sharing with email authentication: Share flipbooks exclusively with designated individuals who receive an email invitation.
- Identity Verification: Recipients must log in to Flipsnack, and their email addresses will be verified before access is granted.
- Strict access control: If an individual attempts to access the flipbook using an email address different from the one it was shared with, the content remains locked.
These security options are available with premium plans. If safeguarding your content is a priority, consider leveraging these features for enhanced document protection.
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