Password protect a PDF

Before emailing a contract or a financial report, lock it with a password so only the people you choose can open it. Encryption happens inside your browser, so neither the file nor the password leaves your device.

Drop your files here

Files are processed on your device and never uploaded

Runs in your browser. Your file never leaves your device.

You can process several files at once, up to 3.

100% local, nothing uploaded

Three steps, that's it

Drop a PDF into the tray
Type the password you want to set
Click protect, then download the locked file

What the protect tool does

The protect tool encrypts a PDF with a password you choose, so no reader opens it until the password is typed. The encryption is AES with a 128-bit key, part of the PDF specification itself, so the protected file opens in Adobe Reader, macOS Preview, Chrome and any phone reader with no extra software; it simply asks for the password.

Encryption happens inside your browser, so neither the file nor the password leaves your device or reaches a server. That also means we cannot recover a password you forget.

When you need to password protect a PDF

Before emailing or messaging a contract, a quotation or a financial report that could be forwarded to the wrong person. When sending an ID, iqama or passport copy to someone who asks for it, so you set a password and send it through a different channel. Payslips from the HR system and bank statements stay protected on a shared phone or the family computer.

Law and accounting offices send draft contracts and tax filings protected and tell the client the password by phone. Inside a company, a salary letter or an appraisal goes to one employee with a password nobody else knows.

How to password protect a PDF, step by step

Open the protect page and drop the file into the tray, or pick it from your device.
Type the new password in the first field, then type it again in the confirm field. You can reveal it to check the spelling.
Choose a long password that is hard to guess, and store it somewhere safe, because it cannot be recovered.
Click the protect button. The file is encrypted in seconds and the result card appears.
Download the protected copy and send it, and tell the recipient the password through a different channel from the one you sent the file on.

Limits to know about

Protection is an open password only. There is no option to block printing or copying while allowing opening; anyone with the password can do everything.
The encryption strength is AES-128, which is enough for everyday and official use, and not AES-256.
A file that is already protected cannot be re-encrypted directly. Unlock it first with the unlock tool, then protect it with the new password.
The password is stored nowhere. If you forget it, we cannot recover it and the file stays locked.
One run handles up to three files with the same password, a technical limit rather than a commercial one, and the results download as a ZIP.

Common problems and fixes

The file is already password protected

Run it through the unlock PDF tool with the current password, then drop the unlocked file here and set the new password.

The two passwords do not match

Tap reveal on the password field to see what you typed, check the keyboard language and caps lock, then type it again in both fields.

I forgot the password

It cannot be recovered from our side because it never reached us. If you still have the original unprotected file, protect it again with a password you keep this time.

The file does not open for the recipient

Make sure the recipient types the password in the same language and letter case, and that their reader supports encrypted PDF; every modern reader does. Send the password in a separate message.

I only want to stop copying or printing

This tool locks opening entirely. To stop text being edited without locking the file, use the flatten tool to turn fields and comments into fixed content, or add a watermark with the recipient's name.

Frequently asked questions

How do I password protect a PDF on my phone?

Open the protect page in your phone browser, tap the tray to pick the file from the Files app, type the password twice and tap protect. It all runs on iPhone and Android with nothing to install, and you can send the protected copy straight to WhatsApp from the share row under the result.

Which encryption is used?

AES with a 128-bit key, a standard built into the PDF specification itself, so the protected file opens in Adobe Reader, macOS Preview, Chrome and any phone reader with no extra software and simply asks for the password. It is not AES-256, but it is enough for contracts and official documents in everyday use.

Can you recover the password if I forget it?

We cannot. Neither the file nor the password ever reaches us, because encryption runs inside your browser and we store nothing. Save the password in a password manager or somewhere safe before closing the page, and keep your original unprotected copy somewhere secure so you can protect it again if you forget.

Can I re-protect a file that already has a password?

Unlock it first with the unlock PDF tool if you know the current password, then protect it here with the new one. The tool cannot open an encrypted file directly, which is why a message says the file is protected when you drop it before unlocking, and that step cannot be skipped.

How do I make a PDF non-editable or stop copying?

This tool sets an open password, so anyone who knows it can read, print and copy, and there is no option to block copying while allowing opening. To stop a form or comments being edited without locking the file, use the flatten tool, and to show where a copy came from, add the recipient's name with the watermark tool.

Is a protected file safe to send on WhatsApp?

Yes. WhatsApp carries the file as it is, and whoever receives it or has it forwarded to them needs the password to open it. Send the password through a different channel, such as a call or a text message, not in the same chat as the file. The protect a PDF for WhatsApp page explains this in detail.

Are my file or password uploaded to a server?

No. Encryption runs entirely inside your browser; the file is read and written on your device, and the password stays on the page, is never sent anywhere and never goes into a link. That is why you can protect a payslip or an ID copy without worry, and the tool works offline once the page has loaded.