Protect PDF
Lock a PDF with a password using AES-256 encryption. Runs on your device, nothing is uploaded.
How to use Protect PDF
- 01Drop the PDF you want to lock onto the upload area.
- 02Type a password and type it again to confirm.
- 03Choose whether people with the password can print, copy text or edit.
- 04Click Protect PDF. The locked copy downloads straight away.
Bank statements, ID scans, salary slips and medical reports often travel by email or WhatsApp, where they can be forwarded or left on a shared computer. A password means only the people you tell can open the file.
The PDF is encrypted with AES-256, the strongest standard PDF encryption, by QPDF running as WebAssembly inside your browser. Neither the document nor the password is ever sent anywhere, which is the point: a password tool that uploads your file has already seen it.
Print, copy and edit limits are stored in the file and respected by Adobe Reader, browsers and most PDF apps. Pick a password you'll remember, or keep it in a password manager: a forgotten password can't be recovered by us or anyone else.
Questions
Is my PDF or password uploaded?
No. Encryption runs inside your browser tab and nothing is sent to a server.
How strong is the protection?
AES-256, the strongest encryption the PDF format offers. With a good password it can't be opened without it.
I forgot the password. Can you unlock it?
No. We never see your password or file, and AES-256 can't be bypassed. Keep the password somewhere safe.
Will it open on phones and in Adobe Reader?
Yes. AES-256 PDFs open in Adobe Reader, Chrome, Edge, Safari, and the PDF viewers on Android and iPhone; they ask for the password first.
How do I remove a password later?
Use Unlock PDF with the password you set; it saves a copy without one.
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