What Protect PDF does
Protect PDF encrypts a document with a password. Anyone who wants to open it must enter that password. You can also decide whether readers are allowed to print, copy text or edit. Encryption happens in your browser, so neither the file nor the password is sent anywhere.
How to password-protect a PDF
- Add your PDF.
- Type a password and repeat it.
- Tick the actions readers may perform: print, copy text, edit or annotate.
- Press the button and download the protected file.
- Send the password to the recipient separately from the file.
Two kinds of protection
| Password to open | Permissions | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | The file's content is encrypted and cannot be read without the password | Asks PDF software not to print, copy or edit |
| Strength | Depends on the password | Advisory only |
| Good for | Confidentiality | Signalling how a document should be used |
Be realistic about permissions. They are honoured by well-behaved PDF readers, but they are not a technical barrier: a person who can open the document can still photograph the screen or use software that ignores the flags. The password to open the file is the part that provides real protection.
Choosing a good password
- Use at least 12 characters, or a passphrase of four or more unrelated words.
- Avoid names, birthdays, phone numbers and anything printed in the document itself.
- Do not reuse a password from your e-mail or bank.
- Store it in a password manager. If you lose it, the file cannot be opened — we cannot recover it, and no one else can either.
Short or predictable passwords can be guessed by automated tools, however strong the encryption is.
Sharing the password safely
Sending the file and its password in the same e-mail defeats the purpose. Send the file by e-mail and the password by another route — a phone call, a text message or a messaging app.
Use cases
- E-mailing salary slips, bank statements, tax documents and medical reports.
- Sharing contracts and proposals with a client.
- Storing personal documents in cloud storage.
- Sending identity documents for verification.
Tips
- Finish everything else first — merging, numbering, signing, compressing. Most tools cannot open an encrypted file.
- Test the protected file by opening it once with the password before you delete or send anything.
- Keep an unprotected original in a safe place if you may need to edit it later.
- To hide part of a document from someone who will have the password, protection is the wrong tool: use PDF Redactor.
Privacy
The PDF is encrypted in your browser on your own device. The file and the password are not uploaded to our server.