Protect PDF
Encrypt a PDF with a password so it can't be opened without it, and optionally restrict printing, copying or editing. The encrypted PDF is yours to share securely.
On the way
Protect PDF is coming soon
Encrypt a PDF with a password so it can't be opened without it, and optionally restrict printing, copying or editing. The encrypted PDF is yours to share securely.
We're still building this one. We'd rather not ship it until it works reliably end-to-end — no fake progress bars, no pretend success screens.
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Going deeper
Securing sensitive PDFs
PDF encryption is the standard way to share sensitive documents over email or file-sharing. The open password prevents anyone without it from viewing the file; the permissions password restricts what people can do with it once it's open (no printing, no copy-paste, no editing). The two passwords solve different problems — open passwords are for confidentiality, permissions passwords are for control.
The main risk with password-protected PDFs is the human one: passwords get lost, shared too widely, or stored in plaintext files alongside the document. If you're sharing a sensitive PDF, deliver the password through a different channel than the document itself (text message vs. email, for example).
Once we ship this tool, the encryption happens entirely on our servers with AES-256. Your password isn't stored anywhere — it's used to derive the encryption key, then discarded. If you forget the password, the PDF is unrecoverable. That's the security guarantee; please treat it accordingly.
What you get
Features
Set an open password (needed to view)
Optional permissions password (needed to edit)
Restrict printing, copying, editing
Coming soon
Step by step
How to use
- 1
Upload the PDF.
- 2
Type an open password (and a permissions password if you want).
- 3
Pick the restrictions you want to apply.
- 4
Click Protect and download.
Your privacy
How this tool handles your file
When this tool ships, your PDF and password will be processed in a per-request temp directory and deleted immediately afterwards. We never store your password.
Read more about our security practices or see our privacy policy.
Frequently asked
Common questions
Keep going
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