Password Protect PDF
LocalPassword-protect a PDF with AES-256 right in your browser — set an open password plus print, copy and edit permissions. No upload, no sign-in, free.
Drag files here, or click to browse
Supports PDF
Choose fileUse 12+ characters mixing cases, digits and symbols. PDF passwords cannot be recovered — keep it safe.
AES-256 encryption runs locally in your browser — neither the file nor the password is uploaded. Permission flags are advisory: readers enforce them, but anyone holding the owner password (and some readers) can bypass or change them; an empty owner password defaults to the open password.
What is it? Password Protect PDF adds an open password (plus optional owner password) and AES-256 encryption to a PDF, entirely in your browser — files and passwords never leave your device.
TL;DR: Password-protect PDFs with AES-256 locally, no upload, no sign-in.
How to use
- Drop in a PDF (multiple files run as a batch with the same passwords).
- Set the open password twice to confirm it (owner password optional), and pick the reader permissions: print / copy / modify / comments.
- Click Encrypt & Download — the encrypted file is generated locally.
FAQ
Which encryption is used?
AES-256. Four reader permissions are adjustable (printing, copying, modifying, annotating); by default only printing is allowed. Permission flags are advisory: readers enforce them, but anyone holding the owner password (and some readers) can bypass or change them.
Is anything uploaded?
No. Encryption runs locally in your browser; neither the file nor the password ever leaves your device — and PDF passwords cannot be recovered, so keep yours safe.
I forgot the password — can it be recovered?
No. The password never leaves your device and there is no recovery — keep it somewhere safe, or the file becomes unopenable.
Can I re-encrypt an already-encrypted PDF?
No — already-encrypted PDFs are rejected to avoid producing broken files. Decrypt it first, then encrypt it again.
Is it free? Do I need an account?
Encrypting a PDF is free with no sign-in — drop the file, set the password, download. It uses your daily free allowance; higher quotas are the paid Pro tier.
What's the difference between the open password and the owner password?
The open password (required, entered twice) is what a reader asks for to open the file. The owner password (optional) guards the permission settings — print, copy, modify, annotate. Leave it blank and it defaults to the open password.
Can I encrypt several PDFs at once?
Yes — multiple files run as a batch with the same passwords and permissions, and download as a ZIP.
Do the restrictions stop everyone from copying or editing?
No. Permission flags are advisory — most readers enforce them, but anyone holding the owner password (and some readers) can change or ignore them. They deter casual use; they are not DRM. For certificate-level control use a professional solution.
Can I protect a PDF without an open password — restrictions only?
No. The open password is required and confirmed twice, so a typo can't lock you out of your own file. If you only need to change or remove restrictions on an existing file, use Encrypt / Decrypt PDF.
Examples
- Drop in a PDF → set open/permission passwords → download the encrypted PDF
Supported formats
Limitations
- Encrypted inputs must be decrypted first; already-encrypted PDFs are rejected.
- The open password is required and confirmed twice — a typo would produce a file you cannot open. Permissions (print/copy/modify/comments) are adjustable and apply to every file in a batch; flags are advisory and some readers may ignore them.
- Very large files depend on your device memory — desktop software recommended.
Privacy
Privacy first: this tool runs entirely in your browser — your input and files never leave your device, and everything is cleared when you close the page.