Protect a PDF with a Password
Add a password and encrypt your PDF file.
🔒 Your file is processed inside your browser. It is never uploaded or saved.
What is Protect PDF?
Documents with personal or business information deserve a lock. This tool encrypts your PDF so a password is needed to open it, and lets you decide whether printing is allowed. Because the work is local, neither the file nor the password is sent anywhere.
How to protect a PDF with a password
- Upload the PDF.
- Choose a password of at least four characters.
- Select whether to allow printing.
- Press Start and download the protected file.
When Protect PDF is useful
Sending sensitive files
Protect a contract before you email it.
Personal records
Lock medical or financial paperwork.
Client deliverables
Share a document with a password sent separately.
Tips for better results
The protected PDF is rebuilt from page pictures, so text is not selectable. Choose a strong password and keep it safe, because it cannot be recovered. Share it through a different channel from the file.
Good to know before you start
To add a password, the tool renders every page and builds a new, encrypted PDF from those pictures. A person who opens the file needs the password, and printing can be switched off. Encryption protects the file in transit and on shared devices, but the strength of the protection depends on your password, so choose a long phrase with a mix of words and numbers rather than a short word. Send the password by a different channel from the file, such as a phone call or chat message. Because pages are pictures, the protected copy is larger than a text-based PDF and its text cannot be searched; keep an unprotected original for your own use.
Why use PDFToolkit
When you protect a PDF with a password with PDFToolkit, the work stays on your own device. Your contracts, ID scans and invoices are processed in the browser and are never sent to a server.
- Private: no upload, nothing saved.
- Free: no sign-up, no daily limit and no watermark.
- Fast: no waiting for files to travel over the internet.
- Everywhere: Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone.
Frequently asked questions
What if I forget the password?
It cannot be recovered, so store it safely.
Can I still select text?
No. Pages are saved as pictures.
Can I stop printing?
Yes, choose Do not allow printing.
Is my password sent anywhere?
No.