Protect PDF
Protect PDF is a free browser tool that encrypts your PDF with AES-256. Set the password needed to open the file, optionally add a separate owner password, and decide whether printing, copying and modifying are allowed. The file is encrypted on your device and never uploaded.
Drop PDF files here or click to browse
Files stay in your burrow: everything is processed on your device, never uploaded.
How to use this tool
- 1Drop a PDF into the tool.
- 2Type the open password (user password) and, optionally, a separate owner password for permissions.
- 3Tick which actions to allow: printing, copying text, modifying the document.
- 4Click Protect and download the encrypted PDF. Keep the password safe: it cannot be recovered.
FAQ
Which encryption does this use?
AES-256, the current standard for PDF encryption. The file is encrypted entirely in your browser; the password is never sent anywhere.
Do the permissions really stop printing or copying?
They stop compliant PDF readers, which is what most people use. Permissions in PDF are instructions that readers enforce, not cryptographic protection: some tools ignore them. The open password, by contrast, is real encryption and cannot be bypassed without the password.
Can this tool encrypt an already-encrypted PDF or recover my password?
No to both. Remove the existing password first with the unlock tool, then protect it again with the new password. And there is no way to recover a lost password, so store it somewhere safe.