Protect a PDF with a password
Encrypt a document before emailing it or storing it in the cloud. Only people who have the password can open it.
- Files never leave your device
- Text is truly deleted, not hidden
- Free, no account, no watermark
Choose a PDF Processed on your computer. Nothing is uploaded.
Encrypted with AES-256. Keep the password safe: nobody, including us, can recover it.
How to password protect a PDF
Open your PDF
Drop it on the page.
Choose a password
Type it twice. Choose whether printing, copying or editing are allowed once the file is open.
Download
The PDF is encrypted with AES-256, the strongest standard PDF encryption.
Strong encryption, done locally
The PDF is encrypted with AES-256. Without the password, its content cannot be read. Because encryption happens in your browser, neither the document nor the password is ever sent to a server.
Choose a good password
Use at least 12 characters, ideally a few unrelated words. Send the password through a different channel from the file: if you email the PDF, give the password by phone or text message.
Permissions
You can also restrict printing, copying and editing for people who open the file. These restrictions are respected by mainstream readers but are not a strong protection on their own; the password is what keeps the content private.
Questions people ask
What if I forget the password?
It cannot be recovered, by us or anyone else: we never see it. Keep a copy of the unprotected file somewhere safe.
Which readers can open the protected file?
All current PDF readers (Adobe Acrobat Reader, browsers, Apple Preview, mobile apps) support AES-256.
Can I remove the password later?
Yes, with Unlock PDF, as long as you know the password.
Other tools
Unlock PDF
Remove the password or the print and copy restrictions from your own PDF.
Redact PDF
Black out names, numbers and sensitive passages. The text under the box is deleted.
Anonymize PDF
Detect emails, phone numbers, IBANs and names automatically, then redact them in one click.
Compress PDF
Make a PDF smaller for email and uploads by shrinking oversized images.