Protect PDF (Add Password)
Password-protect a PDF with real AES-256 encryption
Used once to encrypt this file, then discarded — we can't recover it, so don't forget it.
Up to 200 MB. Files are deleted from the server within 30 minutes.
⚠️ Please don't close or refresh this page until it's done, or you may lose the result.
💡 Upload speed depends on your own network, not our servers — a slow connection just means the bar moves slower. It'll keep going; no need to retry or worry about being charged twice.
Encryption details worth knowing
- Cipher — AES-256 for modern readers; a compatibility mode falls back to AES-128.
- Passwords — an open password gates viewing; an optional separate permissions password controls printing/copying.
- Permission flags — disallow printing, text copying, or annotations individually.
- Honest limit — no PDF encryption stops screenshots; it prevents casual opening and modification.
Real AES encryption with shareable passwords
Set an open password plus optional permission limits and get a standards-compliant encrypted PDF any mainstream reader opens normally.
AES-256 Protection
The same encryption standard Adobe Acrobat uses, applied with qpdf on our server — the lock travels with the file, not with a viewer setting.
Password Never Stored
Your password is used once, in memory, to encrypt the file and is never written to disk or logged — there is no password database to leak.
Locks in Every Reader
Anyone receiving the PDF needs the password in any reader or phone viewer — contracts and statements stay sealed over email or shared links.
How it works
- 1
Drop in the PDF and choose a strong password (entered twice to be safe).
- 2
Our server encrypts it with AES-256 via qpdf.
- 3
Download the protected PDF. Files auto-delete in 30 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
How strong is the protection?
AES-256 is the modern PDF encryption standard — with a strong password it can't be practically brute-forced. A short or common password can still be guessed, so use 12+ mixed characters.
What if I forget the password?
We can't recover it — nothing is stored on our side. Keep it in a password manager. Your original file on your device is untouched, so worst case you encrypt a fresh copy.
Are my file and password safe?
The password lives only in server memory for this one job and is never written anywhere; the upload and the encrypted result are auto-deleted within 30 minutes.
Related tools
What Is PDF Encryption?
PDF encryption adds a password to a document so that nobody can open it without the key. When you share contracts, financial statements, or personal records over email or a file-sharing link, an unprotected PDF is readable by anyone who gets the link; a password-protected one stays locked in every PDF reader. This tool applies genuine AES-256 encryption with qpdf on our servers — the same modern standard Adobe Acrobat uses — rather than a flimsy viewer-level restriction. It is a credit-based tool: each run spends a small number of credits from your account balance. The protection travels with the file into any reader, so a password is never just a suggestion.
What this tool can do
- 🔐 Set a password of your choice, typed twice to avoid typos
- 🛡️ Real AES-256 encryption that works in every PDF reader, not a viewer-level lock
- 🔑 The password is used once in memory and never stored on our servers
- ✅ Any reader, from browsers to mobile apps, will ask for the password
- 🔁 A failed run refunds your credits automatically
When you'll use it
- 📎 Send a confidential contract as an encrypted attachment and share the password separately
- 💳 Protect tax records, bank statements, or personal documents on your devices
- 🤝 Share financial reports with a client behind a password you control
- 🗄️ Keep archived documents private even if the storage is ever exposed
Your file is uploaded over an encrypted connection to our server, encrypted by qpdf, and automatically deleted afterward; the password exists only in memory during the job and is never stored or logged. The honest limit: a forgotten password cannot be recovered — there is no backdoor by design — so keep a backup of the unencrypted file and choose a password you will remember. Already-protected files need to be unlocked first. Each run costs credits, refunded automatically on failure.