Password Protect PDF — Encrypt Online Free
Lock a PDF with a password and choose whether readers may print, copy, edit or comment, with encryption done on your own device.
Sending payslips, ID copies or contracts? Encrypt the file first. The PDF is encrypted with standard PDF password protection, and you pick which permissions to allow: printing, copying text, editing or commenting. Everything happens in your browser, so your password is never sent anywhere.
How to password-protect a PDF (3 steps)
- Open the PDF you want to protect.
- Set a password and tick the permissions you want to allow.
- Apply protection and download the encrypted file.
Open password vs. permissions
- Open password — the whole file is encrypted, and nobody without the password can open it at all. This is the real protection.
- Permissions — tick whether people who open the file with the password may print, copy text, edit or add comments. Standard PDF readers respect these settings, but some programs ignore them, so don't rely on permissions as your only safeguard.
Choosing a safe password
- The tool requires at least 4 characters, typed twice to confirm. For important documents, use 8 or more, mixing letters and numbers.
- Avoid birthdays or phone numbers, which are easy to guess.
- Send the password through a different channel from the file: for example, email the file and give the password in a text message or by phone.
- Write the password down. If you forget it, nobody can recover it for you.
Removing the password later
Use Unlock PDF and enter the password you set. You'll get a file that opens without a password, and you can unlock several files at once.
FAQ
What kind of encryption is used?
Standard PDF encryption that common PDF readers support. The file opens only with the correct password.
Can I recover a forgotten password?
No. Keep a careful note of it. Nobody can recover it for you, including MyPDF, because the password is never seen by anyone but you.
Is my password sent to a server?
No. Encryption happens entirely in your browser, and the password never leaves your device.
Can I protect several files at once?
For now it's one file at a time. When you finish, choose the option to use the tool on a new file and carry straight on with the next one.
Does the recipient need special software?
No. The file opens normally in Chrome, Edge, Safari, a standard PDF reader or a phone's file viewer, which will ask for the password first.
📖 Full guide: Password-protect a PDF the right way