why can't I add a password when I print to a PDF file

[cj5]

I'm using turboTax 2025 on macOS 15.7.4. I choose "Print" and then click on "PDF". That brings up the dialog to save to a PDF file. I click on Security Options and add a password. I then click OK and then Save. The PDF is created but has no password. This has worked in the past with TurboTax and currently works with other macOS applications. For some reason with TurboTax the PDF never ends up with a password. Last year I was able to print encrypted PDFs with turbotax 2024, but I just tried again and no longer can with 2024. I'm guessing a macOS upgrade I did over the past year triggered this problem.

[Vanessa A]

Try using your keychain access password which is frequently the same as your regular log in password to your MAC.

[eswenson]

The issue is not what password to use, but that the PDF is saved with NO PASSWORD despite specifying that one is required in the secure options presented.  This presents a SECURITY PROBLEM.  I don't want my Tax Returns sitting in-the-clear in the file system.

[MarilynG1]

From AI:

"To password-protect a PDF copy of your TurboTax return on a Mac, open the saved PDF in the built-in Preview app, go to File > Export, click Permissions, check Require Password To Open Document, and set your password. This secures your tax data using macOS tools."

@eswenson 

[eswenson]

Thanks. But I know how to add a password outside of TurboTax, but it is a bug that this cannot be done within TurboTax when you save a PDF from TurboTax — especially since I’m given the choice to set a password. This gives a false sense of security. TurboTax used to do this correctly — all of my prior years’ returns PDFs are correctly password protected.

[cj5]

Regarding this working in previous years, yes, that is true. However, I verified that TT 2024 no longer properly saves the password with the PDF. This did work a year ago with TT 2024, but no longer does. I'm guessing either a TT 2024 update or a macOS upate broke it sometime over the past year.

[eswenson]

Thanks much. If TT2024 used to work (as it did for be last year) and now doesn’t work, then I suspect you’re right that it was a macOS update that broke it. 

[cj5]

but...TT 2023 does still seem to work.