Password-protect a PDF
Encrypt a PDF so it can only be opened with a password. The encryption runs on your device with the open-source qpdf engine.
- 1Add your file
- 2Make it yours
- 3Download & done
Let’s start with your file.
Drop your PDF here. We’ll take it from there.
PDF documents·Or drag and drop a file
Choose a different fileYour files stay on this device. Always.
How to password-protect a PDF
- Choose a PDF.
- Type a password twice, and choose whether to allow printing and copying.
- Download the encrypted PDF.
Good to know
Files are encrypted with 256-bit AES, the strongest standard PDF encryption, which every current PDF reader supports.
The printing and copying restrictions are honoured by well-behaved readers but are easy to bypass. The opening password is the real protection, so choose a long one.
Questions
Is my file uploaded anywhere?
No. PDF1 runs the whole job inside your browser tab with JavaScript and WebAssembly. The page has no upload endpoint, and its security policy blocks connections to other servers, so the file stays on your device. You can even disconnect from the internet once the page has loaded.
What if I forget the password?
There is no way to recover it. That is what makes the encryption meaningful. Keep the unencrypted original, or store the password in a password manager.
How do I send the password safely?
Send it a different way from the file, for example by text message when the PDF goes by email.