How to password-protect a PDF
- Tap "Add a PDF" or drop it onto the box.
- Type a password twice, and choose whether people may print it or copy its text.
- Tap "Protect PDF", then download. Send the password separately, for example by phone or SMS.
Good to know
The PDF is locked with AES-256, the strongest encryption the PDF standard offers, so it opens in any PDF app once the right password is typed.
We never see or store your password. That also means nobody can recover a forgotten one, so keep it somewhere safe, along with your original file.
Questions
Will it open on any phone or computer?
Yes. Every current PDF app supports this kind of password. Very old PDF readers, from before about 2011, may not.
What if I forget the password?
Nobody can open the PDF without it, not even us. Keep your original, unprotected file somewhere safe.
Is my PDF or password uploaded?
No. The PDF is locked by your browser on your device.
Page last reviewed 21 October 2026.