Password protect a PDF
Lock a PDF with a password. Get a strong one suggested, choose what people can do once it’s open, and the lock is checked before you download.
Drop your file here
or click to browse
Nothing has left this page since you opened the tool. Show network activity
The browser enforces this: the site’s security policy only lets the page talk to the code libraries’ servers and an anonymous usage counter (tool name, file type, size range). A request carrying your file to anywhere else would be blocked before it left.
Check it yourself: open your browser’s developer tools, go to the Network tab, and run the tool. Or turn off Wi-Fi once the tool has loaded; it keeps working.
How it works
Lock a PDF with a password. Get a strong one suggested, choose what people can do once it’s open, and the lock is checked before you download.
Type a password and a meter shows how hard it is to guess, flagging the usual traps such as common passwords, a name plus a year, or short swapped-letter words. Or press Suggest one for a five-word passphrase like otter-velvet-comet-basil-42, which is easy to type and read out but very hard to guess; copy it with one click. Choose what people can do once the file is open: print, copy text, comment and fill forms, or edit pages. The PDF is encrypted with AES-128, which every PDF reader since Acrobat 7 opens, and a separate random owner password makes the permissions stick. Before you download, the file is checked: it must refuse to open without the password and open with it. There is no way to recover a lost PDF password, so keep it somewhere safe and send it separately from the file. Everything happens in your browser; neither the file nor the password is uploaded.
How to use it
- Drop your PDF. It's shown with its page count.
- Choose a password. Type one and watch the meter, or press Suggest one.
- Set permissions. Decide whether people can print, copy, comment or edit.
- Lock and download. The lock is checked, then the file is ready.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I put a password on a PDF?
- Drop the PDF, type a password (or press Suggest one), and press Lock PDF. Anyone opening the file will be asked for it.
- How strong is the encryption?
- AES-128, the standard PDF encryption that all modern readers support. The password matters most: a few random words is far stronger than a short complex one.
- Can I stop people printing or copying?
- Yes. Untick Print or Copy text. Most PDF readers respect this, but it's a request rather than a hard lock; the password is what keeps the file private.
- What if I forget the password?
- It can't be recovered, by us or anyone else. Keep a copy of the unlocked file, or store the password in a password manager.
- Is my PDF or password uploaded?
- No. Encryption happens in your browser; nothing is sent anywhere.