Password Protect PDF
Password protect PDF files for free, without the file leaving your device.
Password protect PDF files before you email or share them: nobody can open the file without the password you choose. The file is locked with AES-256, the strongest protection the PDF standard offers and the one every current PDF reader understands. You can also limit what people can do once it is open, such as printing or copying text, with a second owner password. Everything happens in your browser: the file and the password never leave your device.
- Free, no sign-up
- Files never leave your device
- Up to 100 MB per file
Drop a PDF file here
or
Up to 100 MB per file. Your files stay on your device.
Your file and your password stay on your device. Nothing is uploaded.
What next
- Open the protected file once, on the device you will send it from, to check the password works.
- Send the password separately from the file: by a call, a text message or another chat, never in the same email.
How to password protect a PDF
- 1
Click “Choose a PDF file” or drag your PDF into the box.
- 2
Type a password twice, or press “Generate a strong password”.
- 3
If you want, turn on limits and choose what people may do, with an owner password.
- 4
Press “Protect PDF” and download your file.
When you would use it
Emailing a contract, a salary slip or a medical report that only one person should read.
Sharing ID copies and certificates for an application without leaving them readable to anyone.
Sending a draft that may be read but not printed or copied.
Keeping a private copy of statements on a shared computer or phone.
What to expect
A forgotten password can't be recovered by anyone, including us. Keep the password safe and keep an unprotected copy if you may need it.
The open password is strong protection. Limits on printing, copying and editing are not: readers like Adobe Acrobat respect them, but some browsers and apps ignore them.
Anyone who knows the password can open the file and save a copy without it. Send the password only to the people who should read the file.
A digitally signed PDF loses its signature's validity when it is protected, because the file changes. Protect it before signing, or send it unprotected.
A file that already has a password must be unlocked first with Unlock PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to add a password to a PDF?
Yes. No sign-up, no daily limit and no watermark on your file.
Is my file or my password uploaded?
No. The file is locked inside your browser, on your device. Neither the file nor the password is sent to us or anyone else.
What if I forget the password?
Then the file can't be opened, and we can't help: the password never leaves your device, so we never know it. Keep it somewhere safe, such as a password manager, and keep an unprotected copy if you may need one.
How strong is the protection?
The file is encrypted with AES-256, as the PDF standard defines it. The weak point is the password: a short or common one can be guessed. Use at least 12 characters, or press “Generate a strong password”.
What is the owner password for?
It sets limits on printing, copying and editing, and only it can lift them later. It must be different from the password that opens the file; otherwise the open password would lift the limits too.
Do the print and copy limits stop everyone?
No. Readers like Adobe Acrobat respect them, but some browsers and apps ignore them: Firefox's built-in PDF reader, for example, lets people copy and print anyway. So the limits aren't strong protection. The open password is the real protection: without it, nobody can open the file at all.
Can I use Arabic letters in the password?
Yes, and they work in current readers. But the person opening the file must be able to type them: if they may not have an Arabic keyboard, use Latin letters and numbers.
Will the file still open everywhere?
Yes, in any current PDF reader, on phones and computers: Adobe Acrobat Reader, the reader in Chrome, Edge and Firefox, and the Files app on iPhone and Android. Very old readers from before 2008 may not open AES-256 files.
Can I protect a file that already has a password?
Not directly. Remove the old password first with [Unlock PDF](unlock-pdf), then add the new one here.