Tools

Protect PDF

Add a password to your PDF and choose what readers may print, copy or edit - encrypted on your own device with AES.

Step-by-step guide with screenshots

Drop PDFs, images or Office files here

Drag them straight from your desktop

or
  • PDF, JPG, PNG, WebP, Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Up to 15 MB each
  • 2 files a run - unlimited with Pro

Frequently asked questions

How do I password-protect a PDF?

Set an open password (needed to view the file), optionally a separate owner password, and choose what the reader may do: print, edit, copy. Save and the file is encrypted with AES-256.

What if I forget the password?

There is no recovery - that is what strong encryption means. Keep the password somewhere safe before you send the file.

Is the file or the password uploaded?

Neither. Encryption runs in your browser, the password lives only in memory while the tab is open, and it is never written into a saved template.

How well do the permissions hold?

The open password is real encryption: without it the file cannot be read at all. The permissions - printing, editing, copying - are a request written into the file, and well-behaved readers honour it, but nothing stops a program from ignoring it. Use them to signal intent; use the open password when it has to hold.

Can I change the password on a file that is already protected?

Yes. Add it, unlock it in the list with the current password, then set the new one and save - the result is the same document under the new password.

Can I use a Word, Excel or PowerPoint file, or a photo, instead of a PDF?

Yes. Drop in a .docx, .xlsx or .pptx file or an image (JPG, PNG, WebP...) and it is turned into a PDF in your browser as it arrives - an image onto an A4 page - then handled like any other PDF; nothing is uploaded. The conversion is our own, so the result can differ slightly from Office's own PDF export: a font may be substituted and charts are left out. The file list shows a warning when something couldn't be carried over.

Missing something, or did the result surprise you?

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