Password-protect a PDF
Free, instant, and private. Encryption happens entirely in your browser — neither your PDF nor your password is uploaded anywhere.
Drop a PDF here, or click to choose a file
Encrypted in your browser — neither file nor password is uploaded.
0 bytes leave your deviceWhy this tool
- The password never leaves this page. Uploading a document and its password to someone else's server defeats the purpose of protecting it. Here, both stay on your device — verifiably.
- Real encryption. AES-256, the PDF standard's strongest — not a viewer-side gimmick. Every modern PDF app can open the file with the password.
- No sign-up, no limits. No account, no email, no watermarks, no daily quota.
- No recovery — by design. There is no server copy and no backdoor. If real confidentiality is the goal, that is a feature.
- Free. No ads on this page, and never any selling of your data — there is no data to sell.
How to use it
Drop a PDF onto the box above (or click it to pick a file). Type a password, repeat it to rule out typos, and click Protect PDF. The encrypted file downloads immediately; opening it anywhere will require the password. Keep the password safe — it cannot be recovered.
Frequently asked questions
Is this PDF password tool really free?
Yes. No account, no trial, no watermark, and no limit on files or pages.
Does my password or file ever leave my device?
No — and for this tool that matters more than for any other. The encryption runs inside your browser on your own device; the password exists only in the page’s memory while it works. You can confirm in your browser’s network inspector that nothing is sent.
What encryption does it use?
AES-256 (the PDF 2.0 standard encryption, V5/AESV3) — the same strength desktop PDF suites use. Any modern viewer can open the file with the password: Acrobat, Preview, Chrome, Firefox, phones.
What if I forget the password?
It cannot be recovered — by us or anyone. That is the point of real encryption: there is no backdoor, no account to reset, no server copy. Store the password somewhere safe, like a password manager.
Can I set separate permissions, like allow-viewing-but-not-printing?
Not yet — this version sets one password that both opens and owns the document. Permission flags may come later.
Can I change the password on an already-protected PDF?
Unlock it first with the current password (see the Unlock tool), then protect the unlocked file with the new one.