PDF Password Protector

Lock a PDF with AES-256 encryption so only people with the password can open it. Drop your file, set a password, and download the protected copy — all in your browser.

Drag & drop a PDF here

Your file never leaves your browser.

Open Password (required)

This will be required to open the PDF in any standard reader (Adobe, Preview, etc.).

Owner Password (optional)

Leave blank to auto-generate. Used internally to set permissions.

About the PDF Password Protector

Email a contract to the wrong person and you cannot pull it back. Password-protecting a PDF gives you a second layer of defense: even if the file lands somewhere it shouldn't, only the people who know the password can actually open it. The Password Protector applies standard PDF encryption (AES-256, the same algorithm used by Adobe Acrobat) so the protected copy works in any normal PDF reader on any device.

Two passwords, two purposes

Open password (required). The password your recipient needs to open the file at all. Without it, every standard PDF reader (Adobe, Preview, Chrome, mobile apps) will refuse to display the document.
Owner password (optional). An advanced password that controls editing, printing, and copying permissions on the file. If you leave it blank, one is auto-generated for you so the open password is the only thing the recipient ever sees.

Built for documents that should not float around unprotected

The Password Protector is meant for the moments when a PDF is going to be sent over channels you do not fully control. Email attachments forwarded to who-knows-where. Files dropped into shared cloud folders. Documents handed off to clients, contractors, or third parties who might cc someone you have not vetted. A password is not a substitute for a secure delivery channel, but it is a strong, simple way to make sure the file is useless to anyone who happens upon it without the key.

Common uses

Sending tax returns, financial statements, or pay stubs to a CPA, lender, or HR contact.
Sharing offer letters, contracts, or NDAs with candidates and counterparties before signature.
Protecting medical records, lab reports, or insurance documents being passed between providers.
Distributing internal documents (board decks, financial models, M&A materials) to a defined list of recipients.
Adding a layer of protection to redacted files so a reviewer can confirm they reached only the intended person.

Your file stays on your computer

The encryption runs entirely in your browser. The PDF you load is never uploaded, never sent to a server, and never seen by anyone but you, even when it contains contracts, medical records, or anything else sensitive. The whole point of password protection is privacy, so the tool itself was built around the same idea. Close the tab and the file is gone from this tool entirely.

Common questions

How do I put a password on a PDF?

Open the PDF, set your password, and download the encrypted copy. Any standard PDF reader will demand the password to open it; share the password separately from the file.

How strong is the encryption?

Standard AES-256, the same encryption class banks and governments rely on. With a decent password, the protected file is not getting opened without it.

Why encrypt locally instead of on a PDF website?

A password added by an upload site protects you from everyone except that site, which briefly held both your document and your password. Here encryption happens in your browser, so no third party ever touches either.

What documents should be password protected?

Anything you would not want misdelivered: payroll and HR files, financial statements, contracts, scans of IDs, and medical records. Email misfires happen; encryption makes them a non-event.

What if I forget the password?

There is no recovery, which is the point of real encryption. Store the password in a password manager before you share the file.