How to Prevent PDF Downloads: Complete Guide with MaiPDF 
How to Prevent PDF Downloads: Complete Guide
View-only sharing helps reduce uncontrolled file forwarding by limiting direct download behavior.
What View-Only Controls Can Do
- Remove easy download path.
- Limit access window by expiry.
- Restrict open count with view limits.
- Add accountability with open statistics.
What It Cannot Fully Prevent
- Screenshots and external camera capture.
- Manual content re-creation.
- Sharing through out-of-band channels.
Setup Workflow
- Upload PDF and enable view-only sharing policy.
- Set expiry and view limits.
- Share by link/QR.
- Monitor open statistics and revoke when needed.
Policy Baseline
| Sensitivity | View limit | Expiry |
|---|---|---|
| Low | Medium-high | 30-90 days |
| Medium | Medium | 7-30 days |
| High | Low | 1-7 days |
Bottom Line
Preventing downloads is a risk-reduction control, not absolute DRM. It works best with short access windows and audience-specific links.