Protect PDF with a password

Property papers, policies and statements that only the right people can open.

Private: your files never leave this deviceNothing is uploaded or stored on a serverWorks right here in your browser

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Encryption
Restrictions and owner password
Allowed

Restrictions are flags that PDF readers are asked to honour. Anyone with the open password can read the content. Without an owner password, a random one is set so the restrictions stay in place.

Add PDFs to start.

How to password protect a PDF

  1. Add the PDFs

    Choose one or more files or drop them on the box.

  2. Choose a password

    Type it twice; the hint under the box says how strong it is. Open Restrictions and owner password to limit printing, copying or editing.

  3. Protect and download

    Press Protect. Each file is encrypted, checked to open with your password, and ready to download.

Good to know

  • Choose AES-128 only if the file must open in readers older than about 2010.
  • Use the eye button to check what you typed before you lock the file.
  • To remove the password later, use Unlock PDF with the same password.
  • Protecting does not change the pages: once opened, the text stays selectable and searchable.

Questions people ask

How do I put a password on a PDF?

Add the file, type the password twice and press Protect. The copy you download asks for that password every time it is opened, in any PDF reader.

How strong is the encryption?

AES-256 (the PDF 2.0 standard security handler, revision 6) by default, the strongest the PDF format offers. The key comes from your password, so length matters most: four or five unrelated words make a good passphrase.

What is the owner password?

It controls the restrictions: printing, copying, editing and the rest. Readers that follow the PDF standard apply them for anyone who opens the file with the open password. Restrictions alone do not hide the content, so use an open password for anything private.

I forgot the password. Can it be recovered?

No. Nothing is stored and there is no back door, so keep the password somewhere safe, such as a password manager.

Are my PDF files uploaded?

No. Every step runs inside your browser with the pdf-lib and pdf.js libraries. Files never leave your device, there is no size or count limit beyond your computer's memory, and nothing is stored when you close the tab.

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