Protect PDF

Encrypt a document with a password.

Runs in your browser

Drop a PDF here

or tap to begin

Any size. Handled on your device.

How it works

  1. 1Open the PDF you want to encrypt.
  2. 2Set a password and check the strength indicator.
  3. 3Choose what a reader is allowed to do — printing, copying, editing.
  4. 4Export the encrypted document.

What this does to your file

The document is encrypted with AES-256 and the password you set. Without that password the file cannot be opened, and the encryption is applied in your browser so the password is never transmitted.

Common questions

Is my file uploaded to a server?

No. The page loads a PDF engine into your browser and the document is read from disk by that engine. There is no upload endpoint, and once the page has loaded you can disconnect from the network and the tool still works.

What happens if I forget the password?

The file cannot be recovered — not here and not by us. There is no reset, because nothing about the document or its password is stored anywhere.

How strong is the protection?

AES-256 is the strongest encryption the PDF format defines. In practice its strength comes down to the password you choose, so use a long one.

Why can't I preview or chain the encrypted result?

The result is locked by design: it can only be opened with the password. Export it, then reopen it with Unlock if you need to keep working on it.