How to password protect a PDF

Add a password to a PDF

1. Open the “Protect PDF” tool and select the document.
2. Enter the password, then confirm it.
3. If you like, check restrictions: prevent printing, copying text or making changes.
4. Click “Protect PDF”, then download the encrypted file.

The document is encrypted with 256-bit AES, the highest standard level of encryption for PDFs.

Choose a strong password

• At least 12 characters, mixing words, numbers and symbols.
• Never the same password as your email or bank account.
• Share it through a different channel than the document: by text message or phone call if the PDF is sent by email.
• Keep it somewhere safe: without it, the document can no longer be opened, not even by you.

Remove password protection from a PDF

A PDF that asks for a password every time you open it quickly becomes a hassle for your own records. The “Unlock PDF” tool removes the protection if you know the password. Simple printing or copying restrictions are removed without a password. Only use it on your own documents or with the author’s permission.

Hide information instead of protecting everything

Sometimes the document can be shared, but part of it must stay secret: an account number, an address, a salary. The “Redact PDF” tool permanently masks those areas: the information is removed from the file, not just hidden under a black rectangle.