Protect PDF
Add a password.
How to password protect PDF
Sharing a salary slip, bank statement or medical report? Add a password so only the people you give it to can open the file. The PDF is encrypted with AES-256, and you can also restrict printing and copying. Both the document and the password stay in your browser: nothing is uploaded, stored or sent anywhere.
- Choose the PDF you want to lock.
- Type a password twice, and tick the option to restrict printing and copying if you want it.
- Press Add password and download the protected PDF.
Runs in your browser. Your file is processed on your own device and is never uploaded to our servers.
Questions people ask
How strong is the protection?
The file is encrypted with AES-256, the strongest standard encryption a PDF supports. A long password that is hard to guess matters as much as the encryption itself.
Do you see or save my password?
No. The password is used inside your browser to encrypt the file and is never stored or sent to us.
What if I forget the password?
We cannot recover it, because we never had it, and Unlock PDF only works with the correct password. Keep the unprotected original or note the password somewhere safe.
Can I use any characters in the password?
Spaces, commas and symbols are all fine. The one character not allowed is the double quote.
What does restricting printing and copying do?
It asks PDF readers to block printing, copying text and changing pages. Screen readers can still read the text aloud, so the file stays accessible to people who rely on them.