How to Restrict Printing and Downloading in ONLYOFFICE

You can share an ONLYOFFICE document with someone who should read it, then discover that the recipient can still print or download a copy. The right restriction depends on where the file is stored: ONLYOFFICE Workspace has a sharing setting for Read Only and Comment users, DocSpace has a restriction for shared links, and a custom ONLYOFFICE Docs integration can pass print and download permissions to the editor. These controls do not work identically, so first identify your product and sharing method.

Before changing access, decide what the recipient needs to do. If they only need to review a document on screen, restrict print, download, and copy together where that bundled option is available. If they need to edit, a read-only restriction may be too limiting; use the Docs integration permission controls or a more suitable access workflow. Test with a separate account before relying on the setting for sensitive material.

Choose the method that matches your ONLYOFFICE setup

If your menus do not match these names, check whether you are using Workspace, DocSpace, or an editor embedded in another platform. The Docs editor itself does not manage user accounts or file-sharing policy; in a custom integration, the host application must decide which permissions to send.

Option 1: Restrict printing and downloading in ONLYOFFICE Workspace

Workspace provides a bundled advanced sharing restriction. It applies to users who have Read Only or Comment access to the file. The setting also blocks copying, so it is a good fit when recipients need to view or comment but should not use the normal editor controls to take a copy.

1. Open the file’s Sharing Settings. In the Documents module, this is available from the file’s sharing controls or from the editor’s access-rights controls.
2. Set the relevant people or groups to Read Only or Comment. Review each entry; do not assume a folder’s inherited sharing is the only access path.
3. Open Advanced settings using the corresponding control in the Sharing Settings window.
4. Enable Can’t print, download and copy file (for Read Only & Comment).
5. Save the change. Use the option to save without notification if you do not want Workspace to send a notice, or save and notify when recipients should be told that the policy changed.

ONLYOFFICE documents this advanced setting as applying to internal and public sharing. It restricts the Read Only and Comment access types; it is not a separate print-only switch. If you want recipients to read the document but still download a copy, this bundled control does not match that requirement. Keep it off and use a workflow that grants the specific capabilities you intend.

Do not confuse Can’t change sharing settings (for Full Access) with a print or download restriction. That option limits whether Full Access users can change sharing settings; it does not remove their ability to print or download the file. For a person who must edit while being denied export, use another method or a custom Docs integration rather than assuming this checkbox covers it.

Option 2: Restrict a shared link in ONLYOFFICE DocSpace

For a DocSpace link, edit the link itself. This is useful for a public or custom room link when the recipient does not need to sign in as a specific Workspace user. Make the restriction before distributing the link, or update the active link and communicate the change to current recipients.

1. Open the file’s Share panel or the file’s link-management controls.
2. Select the existing shared link and open its Link settings. If you are creating a new link, choose its access role and audience first.
3. Enable Restrict file content copy, file download and printing.
4. Save the link settings and confirm the link remains active with the intended audience and role.

DocSpace lists this restriction for shared links, including links for public or custom rooms. It blocks copying, downloading, and printing through that link, so test the actual link—not just the file owner’s view. If a file is accessible through more than one link, inspect each link separately. A restriction on one link does not mean every other sharing route has the same policy.

Option 3: Set print and download permissions in an ONLYOFFICE Docs integration

If ONLYOFFICE Docs is embedded in a portal, learning platform, or custom application, the integrator can set the document permission fields when initializing the editor. The official Docs API documents document.permissions.download and document.permissions.print; both default to true. Set them to false to remove the corresponding Download as and Print controls from the editor interface.

const config = {
  document: {
    permissions: {
      download: false,
      print: false
    }
  }
};

const editor = new DocsAPI.DocEditor("placeholder", config);

The example shows the permissions object, not a complete editor configuration. The host application must supply the normal document, editor, and security configuration. Set permissions server-side based on the authenticated user and document policy. Do not let a browser user modify the configuration and thereby grant themselves more access.

If the policy also needs to discourage copying text from the editor, ONLYOFFICE Docs has a separate copy permission. It is not the same as printing or downloading. Disabling print and download hides those editor actions; it does not by itself protect a source file that is exposed at a directly accessible storage URL. The integrating application must secure the document URL and enforce its own access rules.

What these restrictions can and cannot do

These options control normal ONLYOFFICE sharing or editor actions. They are access controls, not a guarantee that the visible information cannot be captured. A viewer may still take a screenshot, photograph the screen, or manually transcribe information. If someone already downloaded or printed a copy before you changed access, a new restriction cannot retrieve that copy. For highly sensitive content, limit who can open it, use expiring or password-protected links where available, and consider whether the recipient needs access at all.

Access roles also matter. A Workspace Read Only restriction does not automatically remove download rights from a Full Access user. A DocSpace link restriction applies to that link and should not be assumed to govern other links. An API permission in a custom integration controls the editor’s available actions, while the host application still protects the underlying file. Match the control to the access path rather than treating all ONLYOFFICE installations as one sharing system.

Verify the restriction with a test account

1. Use a separate account with the same role as the intended recipient, or open the DocSpace link in a separate browser profile.
2. Confirm the file opens with the intended view, comment, or edit capability.
3. Check that Print and Download actions are absent or disabled in the relevant editor or link flow.
4. For Workspace, also confirm that the user has Read Only or Comment access; a different role may fall outside the bundled restriction.
5. For a custom integration, test the document inside the host application and confirm the backing file cannot be fetched through an unprotected direct URL.
6. Review every active link and any group or folder access that could provide a second route to the same file.

If the recipient can still print or download, first check whether they opened a different link, have a higher access role, or are using a local copy saved earlier. In a custom integration, ask the application administrator to inspect the permissions sent in the editor configuration and the host’s storage access rules. A successful test is one where the intended user can do the work they need while the restricted actions are unavailable through that specific sharing route.

Official ONLYOFFICE references

• ONLYOFFICE Workspace: Sharing files and folders
• ONLYOFFICE DocSpace: Sharing files and folders
• ONLYOFFICE Docs API: Document permissions
• ONLYOFFICE Docs API: Sharing and print/download permissions