Password protect a PDF
Encrypt a PDF with a password before you send it.
Before emailing a contract, medical record, or anything sensitive, it helps to know that only the intended recipient can open it. Password Protect encrypts your PDF with a password you choose — the file opens normally in any standard PDF reader once that password is entered.
Only unlock or edit PDFs you own or have permission to modify.
How to password protect pdf
- Drop your PDF file into the upload area — maximum 50 MB.
- Choose a password. Longer passwords are safer, but any password is accepted.
- Click "Protect PDF" and download the encrypted file.
- Share the file and the password separately — never in the same message.
Common use cases
- Encrypt a contract or NDA before emailing it.
- Protect a scanned ID, tax document, or medical record you need to send.
- Lock a PDF before uploading it somewhere you don’t fully trust.
Privacy and safety
Files are processed over HTTPS and deleted from our servers after 1 hour — the same retention policy as every other tool on this site. We never open, read, or share the contents of your files beyond what is needed to run this operation.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an account?+
No — password protection is available to guests, same as the rest of the free tier.
What if I forget the password?+
We don’t store your password anywhere, so we can’t recover it — keep it somewhere safe.
Will the encrypted PDF open in any reader?+
Yes — it uses standard PDF encryption supported by Adobe Reader, browsers, and most PDF apps.
Is there a minimum password strength requirement?+
No hard requirement, but we’ll nudge you toward a longer password for better protection.
What happens to my file (and password) afterward?+
Your file is deleted after 1 hour like every other job on this site. Your password is used only to encrypt the file and is never stored.
Looking for more tools? Browse the full tools directory or the format converter.