Protect PDF
PDFLock a PDF with a password (AES-256) and choose whether it may be printed, copied or edited — in your browser, never uploaded.
Protect PDF locks a PDF with a password before you send it — a contract, a payslip, a medical letter, anything that should be opened only by the person it is for. Type the password twice, and choose whether the PDF may be printed, have its text copied, or be edited once it is open. It is locked with AES-256, the strongest encryption the PDF format has, which Acrobat, Preview, Chrome and every current reader open. All of it happens in your browser: neither the PDF nor the password is uploaded, so the document is never readable anywhere but on your device and on the device of the person you send it to. Already protected? Open it with the old password and the new one replaces it.
Why use Protect PDF
100% private
Your PDF files are processed locally and never uploaded.
Instant
No upload or download wait — it runs at the speed of your device.
Free to start
Use it free every day; go Pro for unlimited runs.
No install
Works in any modern browser. No sign-up to begin.
How to use Protect PDF
- 1Add the PDF
Any PDF. It is opened in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
- 2Choose the password
Type it twice. Then choose whether the PDF may be printed, copied or edited once it is open.
- 3Download the protected PDF
It is locked with AES-256 and asks for the password before it shows a page.
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF or my password uploaded to protect it?
No. The PDF is encrypted in your own browser and saved straight to your device; the password is used there and never sent or kept. Nobody else ever holds the document unlocked.
How strong is the protection?
AES-256, the strongest encryption the PDF format defines, with the password stretched by the format's own hashing — so a strong password cannot practically be guessed. A short or common one can: use eight characters or more.
What if I forget the password?
It cannot be recovered — not by this tool and not by anyone else; that is what makes it protection. Keep the original PDF, or the password somewhere safe.
Can I stop people printing or copying the PDF?
Yes: untick printing, copying or editing. Acrobat, Preview, Chrome and other readers respect these limits, but they are a request the PDF makes, not a lock on the content — a determined person with other software can ignore them. The password to open is what truly keeps a document private. Text stays readable to screen readers whatever you choose.
Will it open on a Mac, an iPhone and in Chrome?
Yes: AES-256 is read by every current PDF reader. One thing to know: Preview on a Mac does not accept letters like æ, ø or å in a PDF password, though Acrobat, Chrome and Firefox do — the tool warns you if your password has them.