If you sell ebooks online, you have probably asked yourself one of these questions:
- How do I stop people from copying my ebook?
- Can I make my PDF non-copyable?
- How do I prevent customers from sharing my ebook?
- What should I do if someone resells my book?
- Is there a way to stop ebook piracy completely?
These are real problems. Every day, people sell collections like “300,000 ebooks for $3” online. Many of those books were copied without permission.
Authors of novels, educational books, printable products, coloring books, worksheets, and online courses all face the same problem: once a PDF leaves your computer, you lose control of it.
Let’s answer these customer questions one by one.
Question #1: How to Protect My Ebook from Piracy? Non-Copiable Text Except Links
“The title says it all. I want my readers to be able to click only the links (I created my Ebook with Canva), and the text is not selectable/copiable. Any way to do this? Saw it is possible with websites.”
The Short Answer
Yes, but not with a normal PDF.
When you export an ebook from Canva, you usually get a standard PDF. A standard PDF was designed to be easy to read and share. That means users can often:
| Feature | Standard PDF |
|---|---|
| Select text | Yes |
| Copy text | Yes |
| Print pages | Yes |
| Share file | Yes |
| Upload online | Yes |
| Open on unlimited devices | Usually Yes |
| Keep clickable links | Yes |
Many authors try:
- PDF passwords
- Flattening the PDF
- Converting text to images
- Adding watermarks
These methods help a little, but they do not stop piracy.
Can You Disable Copying but Keep Links?
Yes.
A DRM-protected ebook can allow:
| Function | Allowed |
|---|---|
| Click hyperlinks | Yes |
| Open website URLs | Yes |
| Open affiliate links | Yes |
| Copy text | No |
| Select text | No |
| Print pages | Optional |
| Take screenshots | Restricted |
| Share files | No |
For example, imagine you sell:
“50 Healthy Meal Plans for Busy Moms”
You want readers to click:
- Your website
- Your YouTube channel
- Your coaching program
- Affiliate product links
At the same time, you do not want them copying entire chapters into ChatGPT, posting them online, or selling your book on another platform.
This is exactly what DRM was built for.
What About Canva?
Canva is great for designing ebooks, but it does not include serious copy protection.
A common workflow looks like this:
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Design ebook in Canva |
| 2 | Export as PDF |
| 3 | Upload to DRM platform |
| 4 | Apply restrictions |
| 5 | Deliver protected ebook to customers |
Recommended Solution
VeryDRM Content Security Platform allows authors to:
- Disable text copying
- Disable text selection
- Keep clickable links
- Prevent unauthorized printing
- Add dynamic watermarks
- Limit devices per user
- Set expiration dates
- Block unauthorized sharing
- Track reading activity
- Revoke access instantly
Instead of sending customers an unprotected PDF, you send a protected ebook that stays under your control.
Question #2: How Can Authors Protect Their eBooks from Piracy and Ensure They Get Paid If It Is Stolen or Copied?
“How can authors protect their eBooks from piracy and ensure they get paid if it is stolen or copied? What are some effective solutions for this issue?”
Let’s Be Honest
No company can promise:
“Your ebook will never be pirated.”
That promise is not realistic.
Even books from major publishers appear on pirate websites.
The goal is to reduce piracy so much that it is not worth the effort.
Common Ebook Protection Methods
| Method | Protection Level |
|---|---|
| Copyright Notice | Low |
| PDF Password | Low |
| Visible Watermark | Medium |
| DMCA Requests | Medium |
| DRM Protection | High |
| DRM + Watermark + Device Locking | Very High |
Can Authors Get Paid After Piracy Happens?
Usually, no.
If someone steals your ebook and uploads it to a file-sharing website, there is rarely a practical way to collect money from them.
What authors can do is:
- Prevent copying.
- Prevent sharing.
- Identify who leaked the file.
- Remove stolen copies quickly.
- Reduce future losses.
Real Example
Imagine you sell an ebook for $29.
Without protection:
| Customer Actions | Result |
|---|---|
| Buys one copy | Pays $29 |
| Shares with 50 friends | You lose sales |
| Uploads to Telegram | More losses |
| Pirate website republishes it | Thousands of downloads |
Now imagine the same ebook protected with DRM:
| Customer Actions | Result |
|---|---|
| Tries to share file | Doesn’t work |
| Opens on another device | Access denied |
| Tries to print | Blocked |
| Attempts copy/paste | Blocked |
| Account abuse detected | Access revoked |
That changes the economics of piracy.
Why Watermarks Matter
Dynamic watermarks can include:
- Customer name
- Email address
- Date
- Company name
- IP address
For example:
Licensed to: john@example.com
Most people are less likely to share a file when their name appears on every page.
VeryDRM Features for Authors
VeryDRM Content Security Platform provides:
| Feature | Available |
|---|---|
| PDF DRM Protection | Yes |
| Browser-Based Reading | Yes |
| Device Locking | Yes |
| Dynamic Watermarks | Yes |
| Printing Controls | Yes |
| Copy Protection | Yes |
| Screen Capture Protection | Yes |
| Expiration Dates | Yes |
| Geographic Restrictions | Yes |
| Reading Analytics | Yes |
| User Revocation | Yes |
Many publishers use several layers of protection instead of relying on only one.
Question #3: How Do Authors Protect Ebooks from Piracy and Reselling?
“I have seen a lot of ads selling ebooks, 300k plus ebooks for as low as $3. I stopped selling soft copies because people keep reselling them. How do you protect your work?”
This is becoming more common every year.
People buy:
- Ebooks
- Printable planners
- Children’s activities
- Coloring books
- Educational materials
- Paper dolls
- Templates
- Worksheets
Then they:
- Download them.
- Remove branding.
- Upload them elsewhere.
- Sell them as their own products.
Many creators eventually say:
“I only sell physical products now.”
That is understandable, but it also limits your business.
Digital products have advantages:
| Physical Product | Ebook |
|---|---|
| Shipping costs | None |
| Inventory | None |
| International delivery | Instant |
| Reprinting costs | None |
| Storage space | None |
| Available 24/7 | Yes |
The question becomes:
How do I keep selling digital products safely?
DRM Makes Reselling Much Harder
Suppose a customer buys your ebook.
Without DRM:
- They can email it.
- Upload it.
- Resell it.
- Print thousands of copies.
With DRM:
- File works only for authorized users.
- Printing can be disabled.
- Devices can be limited.
- Accounts can be revoked.
- Sharing becomes useless.
Protecting Printable Products
This is especially important for:
- Etsy sellers
- Teachers Pay Teachers creators
- Online course creators
- Artists
- Children’s book publishers
- Independent authors
VeryDRM can protect:
- PDF ebooks
- Training manuals
- Printable products
- Worksheets
- Guides
- Catalogs
- Membership content
- Digital downloads
Example Scenario
Sarah sells printable paper dolls.
She sells 500 copies every month.
One customer uploads her files to a marketplace.
Within six months:
- Hundreds of unauthorized copies appear.
- New competitors start selling her work.
- Revenue drops.
- She stops selling digital products.
With DRM:
- Files are tied to customers.
- Sharing is restricted.
- Printing limits can be applied.
- Watermarks identify the buyer.
Her business stays online.
What Is the Best Way to Protect an Ebook?
Most experts recommend combining several methods.
| Protection Method | Recommended |
|---|---|
| Copyright | Yes |
| DRM | Yes |
| Dynamic Watermarks | Yes |
| Device Limits | Yes |
| Access Expiration | Optional |
| User Authentication | Yes |
| DMCA Monitoring | Yes |
The more layers you add, the harder piracy becomes.
Why Many Authors Choose VeryDRM Content Security Platform
VeryDRM Content Security Platform was built for publishers, authors, training companies, and content creators who need more than a simple PDF password.
Key features include:
- Non-copyable ebooks
- Non-selectable text
- Clickable hyperlinks
- Dynamic watermarks
- Device locking
- Browser-based secure reading
- Printing controls
- Screenshot protection
- Offline viewing support
- Reading analytics
- Instant access revocation
- User and IP restrictions
Instead of giving customers a file they own forever, you control who can access it, where they can open it, and what they can do with it.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I make a PDF completely impossible to copy?
No. Nothing is 100% impossible to copy, but DRM can make copying extremely difficult.
2. Can users still click links in a protected ebook?
Yes. VeryDRM supports clickable hyperlinks while blocking text copying.
3. Does Canva provide DRM protection?
No. Canva is a design tool. You will need a DRM solution to protect exported PDFs.
4. Can DRM stop printing?
Yes. You can disable printing completely or set printing limits.
5. Can I limit my ebook to one device?
Yes. Device locking is one of the most effective ways to prevent sharing.
6. Can I see who opened my ebook?
Yes. VeryDRM includes reading analytics and user tracking.
7. Can I revoke access after a refund?
Yes. You can immediately disable access to protected content.
8. Are watermarks enough?
Watermarks help, but they work best when combined with DRM protection.
9. Can DRM protect printable products?
Yes. Many creators protect worksheets, planners, and printables with DRM.
10. Is a PDF password enough?
No. Many free tools can remove PDF passwords in seconds.
11. Can DRM prevent ebook reselling?
It cannot stop every attempt, but it makes reselling much more difficult because shared files will not work for unauthorized users.
12. Should I stop selling ebooks entirely?
No. Digital products remain one of the easiest ways to sell worldwide. The better approach is to protect them properly.
Final Thoughts
If you are selling ebooks, printable products, or digital downloads, assume that someone will eventually try to copy or resell your work.
The question is not whether piracy exists. The question is how much damage it can cause.
A normal PDF gives away control. DRM gives much of that control back.
For authors who want non-copyable text, clickable links, printing controls, dynamic watermarks, and protection against sharing and reselling, VeryDRM Content Security Platform is one of the most complete solutions available today.