Protect PDF
Secure your PDF files with a password. Restrict printing, copying and editing permissions.
Drag & drop a file here or click to browseChoose file
One file · up to 25 MB · .pdf
- 1Upload your file
- 2Adjust the settings and click “Protect PDF”
- 3Download the result
Transferred over HTTPS. The original and the result are deleted from the server after 1 hour. Nobody looks at your documents.
Related: Unlock PDF · Compress PDF · Merge PDF
Why password-protect a PDF
A PDF with sensitive content — a contract, a statement, personal documents — shouldn't be readable by anyone who happens to get the file. Adding a password encrypts it, so it only opens for people who know the password. Upload your PDF, set a password, and download the protected copy.
How to protect a PDF with a password
- 1
Upload your PDF — drag it in or pick it from your device.
- 2
Type a password, then enter it again to confirm.
- 3
Click "Protect PDF" to encrypt the file.
- 4
Download the protected PDF and share it safely.
How protection works here
Real encryption
The PDF is encrypted, not just flagged — without the password its contents can't be read.
Open password
The file asks for the password every time someone tries to open it.
Works everywhere
The protected PDF opens with the password in Acrobat, browsers, phones and standard readers.
You choose the password
Set any password you like; it is never shown to anyone or saved by the service.
Confirm to avoid typos
Entering the password twice rules out a mistyped password that would lock you out.
No watermarks
Protection adds security only — no logos or stamps on your pages.
No sign-up
Protecting a file works right away, no account needed.
Files don't linger
Your PDF and the protected copy are deleted from the server automatically after an hour.
When to protect a PDF
Add a password whenever a file shouldn't be open to just anyone:
- contracts, agreements and legal papers;
- bank statements, invoices and financial records;
- personal documents — passport scans, IDs, medical files;
- anything sent by email or shared over chat;
- confidential reports kept on a shared drive.
How strong is the protection
The file is encrypted with the standard PDF password algorithm, so its content is genuinely scrambled until the right password is entered — not merely hidden behind a setting a reader could ignore. How strong your protection actually is depends mostly on the password: a long one mixing letters, digits and symbols is far harder to guess than a short, common word.
Keep your password safe
The password isn't stored anywhere — we don't keep it and can't recover it for you. If you lose it, the PDF can't be opened, so save it somewhere reliable, like a password manager. To remove protection later from a file you can already open, use the Unlock PDF tool.
Frequently asked questions
Didn't find an answer? Write to support@pdf-boss.com.
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