Password Protect PDF
Only use it on files you created or have the right to share. If you forget the password, this tool can't open the file either.
Add an open password to a PDF
Payslips, contracts and medical records shouldn't travel by email or chat unprotected. This tool encrypts your PDF with the standard PDF security handler (AES-128), so it can only be opened with the password. Adobe Acrobat, Chrome, Edge, Safari and mobile PDF apps all ask for it. Encryption happens in your browser — the file and password are never sent anywhere.
Two passwords
- Open password — needed to open the file. Share it with the recipient through a different channel than the file (a call or text message).
- Permissions password — lifts the printing, copying and editing restrictions. If you leave it blank, a random one is generated, so nobody can lift the restrictions. Keep your original file.
Permissions
Choose whether to allow printing, copying text, editing, and comments/form filling. Permission flags are more of an agreement that PDF software honors — some apps ignore them. The open password is what really protects the file.
Choosing a strong password
The PDF standard only allows Latin letters, digits and symbols. Use 12 or more characters and avoid birthdays or phone numbers; the Password Generator can make a random one for you. If you forget the password, this tool can't open the file either, so write it down. Files that already have editing restrictions are converted to images before locking. To mark a document's purpose, combine this with Add Watermark to PDF.
Open the protected file once to make sure the password works before you send it.
Frequently asked questions
Can this remove a password from someone else's PDF?
No. This tool only adds a password to your own files; it can't open PDFs whose password you don't know.
How do I remove the password later?
Open the file with the password and use “Print → Save as PDF” in your PDF app to make an unprotected copy. Keeping the original is simplest.
Is AES-128 secure?
Yes, it's a widely used, secure algorithm. A short password can still be guessed, so use a long, random one.
Related tools
- Add Watermark to PDFStamp text like CONFIDENTIAL or COPY, or your logo, diagonally or tiled
- Password Generator (Strong Random Passwords)Strong random passwords or memorable passphrases, generated securely in your browser
- Compress PDFShrink scanned and photo-heavy PDFs, compare sizes, grayscale option
- Merge PDFCombine PDFs in any order and pick page ranges from each file
- Split PDFSplit by page ranges, every N pages or into single pages — download as ZIP
- Extract PDF PagesClick thumbnails or type page numbers to save them as a new PDF