Contracts, bank statements, medical records: many PDFs contain data you don't want just anyone to read. Putting a password on them before sending is one of the simplest ways to protect them.
How to protect a PDF
- Open Protect PDF with Password and select your file.
- Type a password and repeat it.
- If you want, check Don't allow printing, copying text or editing.
- Download the protected PDF.
The file is encrypted with 256-bit AES inside your browser. We never see the document or the password, which is also why we can't recover it if you forget it.
How to choose a good password
Use at least 12 or 14 characters and avoid dates, names or license plates. You can create one with the password generator and keep it in a password manager. Send the password through a different channel than the file, for example the PDF by email and the password by message.
What the restrictions protect
The password to open the file is the real protection. The restrictions on printing, copying or editing depend on the program that opens the PDF respecting them; they help prevent accidental use, but they are not an absolute barrier.
How to remove the password
If you receive a protected PDF and you already know the password, you can save it without it using Remove PDF Password. Type the current password and download the unlocked copy. This tool doesn't guess or crack passwords, and you should only use it with your own files or files you have permission to open.
Removing the password is useful before you merge PDFs, sign them or add a watermark, because those tools need to be able to read the file.
A complete workflow
The whole process happens on your device, with nothing uploaded. If you want to know why that matters, read this guide on privacy.