Lock PDF with Password Online
Add a password so only the people you choose can open the document.
How to use this tool
- 1Select the PDF you want to protect.
- 2Type the password you want to set, then confirm it.
- 3Click Lock PDF to apply encryption.
- 4Download the protected file and share the password separately.
About this tool
Email is not a private channel. Messages sit in inboxes for years, get forwarded without thought and occasionally land with the wrong recipient entirely. Putting a password on a PDF means that even if the file ends up somewhere it should not, its contents stay unreadable. It is a sensible default for payslips, medical letters, identity documents, signed contracts and anything containing account numbers. Send the password through a different channel than the file itself — a text message or a phone call — otherwise you have locked the door and taped the key to it. Choose something long rather than something clever, because length is what makes a password hard to break. Encryption is applied locally in your browser, so the unprotected document is never transmitted anywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I forget the password?
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The file cannot be opened. There is no recovery mechanism, so store the password somewhere safe before you send the document.
Will the recipient need special software?
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No. Every standard PDF reader, including browsers and phones, prompts for the password automatically.
Can I remove the password later?
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Yes, as long as you know it. Use the Unlock PDF Remove Password tool.