How to Password-Protect (and Unlock) a PDF
Some documents shouldn't be readable by just anyone. Bank statements, contracts, medical records — these deserve a password. Here's how to add one, and how to remove it when you no longer need it.
Add a password (encrypt)
Protect PDF encrypts your file with AES, the same class of encryption used to secure websites. Anyone who opens the file must enter the password.
- Open Protect PDF.
- Choose a strong password and confirm it.
- Download the encrypted PDF.
Because the encryption happens in your browser, your file and your password are never uploaded — there's no server that could leak them.
Keep your password somewhere safe. There's no backdoor: if you lose it, the file can't be opened.
Restrict what people can do
Sometimes you want people to read a document but not print or copy it. PDF Permissions lets you set an owner password and toggle exactly that — printing, copying, editing, form-filling and more — without requiring a password just to open the file.
Remove a password you know
Tired of typing the password every time you open a file you own? Unlock PDF removes the encryption — you just need the current password. This is for documents you're authorised to open; it doesn't crack unknown passwords.
Verify a file hasn't been tampered with
For an extra layer of trust, generate a PDF fingerprint (a SHA-256 checksum). Anyone can later verify that the file is byte-for-byte identical to the original.