How it works, tips and questions
Upload the PDF to Protect PDF, type a password twice and download. The file is encrypted with AES-256 and only opens with that password.
Step by step
- Upload the PDF you want to secure.
- Choose a password. Anyone opening the file will need it.
- Download the encrypted PDF and share the password separately.
Good to know
What 256-bit AES actually protects
The document is encrypted, not merely marked as private. Without the password the contents cannot be read, and there is no way to recover it by inspecting the file. That is real protection - and it is also why a forgotten password means a permanently unreadable document.
Send the password through a different channel
Emailing an encrypted PDF and its password in the same message undoes the encryption entirely, because anyone reading that inbox has both halves. Send the file one way and the password another - a message, a call, anything that is not the same thread.
Questions
What encryption is used?
256-bit AES, the standard modern PDF readers expect.
What happens if I forget the password?
The document cannot be opened or recovered. Keep the password somewhere safe before you close the tab.
Do you store the password I chose?
No. It is used to encrypt the file and then discarded along with the file itself.
Can I stop people printing or copying instead of requiring a password to open it?
Not yet. This tool sets an open password, which is the stronger of the two protections.
Will the protected PDF open on a phone?
Yes. Any current PDF reader on Android or iOS will prompt for the password.
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