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Protect PDF

Set a password and permissions (AES-256).

Protect PDF Free

How to password-protect a PDF

  1. Add your file. Select the PDF you want to secure.
  2. Set a password and permissions. Choose a password to open the document and decide whether printing, copying and editing are allowed.
  3. Protect and download. Select Protect PDF and download the encrypted file.

Frequently asked questions

How strong is the encryption?
The document is encrypted with AES - 256-bit by default, the same standard used for confidential files.
What is the difference between opening and permissions?
The open password is needed to view the file. Permissions (printing, copying, editing) are enforced by the PDF viewer even after it opens.
I forgot the password - can you recover it?
No. Protection is one-way; if the password is lost, the document cannot be opened. Keep it somewhere safe.
Is this tool free?
Yes - it is completely free, with no account, no limits, and no watermarks added to your files. Every PDF tool on File-Extension works the same way.

All PDF tools

A complete, free PDF toolkit - pick another tool to keep working.

Merge PDFCombine several PDFs into one - drag to set the order. Split PDFSplit by ranges, every N pages, or one file per page. Compress PDFShrink file size with a quality you choose. Rotate PDFTurn pages 90°, 180° or 270° - all or selected. Organize PDFReorder, delete and rotate pages on one screen. Extract PDF pagesPull selected pages into a new PDF. Remove PDF pagesDelete unwanted pages from a PDF. Watermark PDFStamp text or an image over every page. PDF page numbersAdd page numbers, your format and position. Sign PDFType, draw or upload a signature - place it anywhere. Fill PDF formsFill in interactive form fields, then flatten.
Protect PDFSet a password and permissions (AES-256).
Unlock PDFRemove a password you already know. Repair PDFRebuild a damaged PDF structure. OCR PDFMake a scanned PDF searchable.