Password-Protect a PDF
A password on the file itself, set on your device.
There is no way to recover this password. Lose it and the file is gone.
Everything happens on this device. The file and the password are never sent anywhere.
How to use
- Choose a PDF or drop it on the box.
- Type the password twice, and decide whether printing and copying stay allowed.
- Download. Opening the file anywhere now asks for that password.
Examples
A document going by email
Mail sits on servers and gets forwarded. A password on the file means the attachment is useless on its own — send the password another way.
A scan with personal details
A payslip or an ID scan in a shared folder is readable by everyone with the folder. Encrypting it first narrows that to whoever has the password.
Read but do not print
Printing and copying can be switched off separately. Viewers honour it; it is an instruction to the reader, not a lock on the pixels.
Choosing the password
A password worth setting is one nobody can guess. The generator makes one on this device too. Password Generator
FAQ
Is the file or the password uploaded?
Neither. The PDF is encrypted in your browser and the password never leaves the page — it is not sent, stored or remembered after you close the tab.
How strong is the encryption?
AES-256, the strongest the PDF format defines. The older RC4 options in the spec are broken and are not offered. The real limit is the password: AES-256 on "1234" is still "1234".
Can the password be removed again?
Not here — this tool only sets one. Removing a password is a different job, and a tool that does it for anyone would be a tool for opening other people’s files.
What happens to the document title and author?
They are emptied in the protected copy. The library used here encrypts the page contents but leaves those fields readable, and a title in the clear on a file called "confidential" defeats the point.
What do the permissions actually do?
They are flags the viewer is asked to honour — most do. Someone determined can ignore them, so treat them as "please do not", not as a lock. The password is the part that actually stops a reader.
Does it work on a PDF that already has a password?
No. An encrypted file has to be opened before it can be re-encrypted, and this tool does not ask for an existing password.