PDF Protector
FreeAdd password protection and set access permissions on your PDF files.
Add password protection and document permissions to a PDF directly in your browser. Choose a password, then set the available printing, copying and editing permissions before creating the protected PDF.
PDF protection is useful when a document should not be opened freely or when you want to communicate restrictions on how recipients should use it.
Password protection and PDF permissions are different controls: a password restricts opening the document, while permissions can limit certain actions in compatible PDF viewers.
Input
Drop a PDF to protect
Drag & drop or browse files
PDF only · Max 100 MB
Max size: 100 MB
Settings
Permissions
Result
No output yet
Upload a PDF and set a password to protect it
How it works
Upload your PDF
Upload a PDF file up to 100 MB.
Set password & permissions
Enter a password and choose whether printing, text copying and editing should be allowed in the protected PDF.
Download protected PDF
Create the protected PDF and download the new file. Keep the password somewhere safe because it may be required to open the document later.
Why use this tool?
Require a password to open
Add an opening password when you do not want the PDF to be freely accessible without the password you choose.
Set document permissions
Choose whether compatible PDF viewers should allow printing, text copying or editing in the protected document.
Password-strength guidance
Use the strength indicator as a visual guide when choosing a longer, harder-to-guess password.
Protect in your browser
The PDF is processed locally in your browser, so it does not need to be uploaded to a server just to apply protection.
When Should You Protect a PDF?
Client and business documents
Add a password before sharing proposals, reports, contracts or other documents that should not be opened freely.
Financial and personal records
Protect statements, invoices, records or other files that contain information you do not want casually accessible.
Review and draft documents
Apply permissions when a PDF is being shared for review and you want to discourage copying, editing or printing in viewers that respect those restrictions.
Controlled document sharing
Use password protection when sending a PDF through email, messaging or shared storage and access should depend on knowing the password.
Understanding PDF Passwords and Permissions
PDF protection can involve two different ideas: opening the file and restricting actions after it is opened.
An opening password controls whether someone can view the PDF without knowing the password.
Permission settings control actions such as printing, copying text or editing after the document has been opened.
These controls are not identical. A recipient may know the password needed to open the file but still encounter restrictions on printing, copying or editing depending on the permissions you selected and the PDF viewer being used.
What PDF Permissions Can and Cannot Do
PDF permissions can tell compatible viewers which actions should be restricted, such as printing, copying or editing.
However, permissions should not be described as absolute copy protection. Different PDF applications can handle permission restrictions differently, and a determined user may still be able to reproduce visible content through screenshots, re-creation or other methods.
Use permissions as document-use controls, not as a guarantee that content can never be copied or altered.
Choosing a Strong PDF Password
A stronger password is generally longer, difficult to guess and not reused from another account or document.
Avoid simple passwords based on names, dates, common words or obvious number patterns.
If the tool provides a password-strength indicator, treat it as guidance rather than a guarantee of security.
Store the password safely. If the implementation does not provide password recovery, losing the password may mean losing access to the protected PDF.
Password Protection vs Encryption
Password protection is implemented through PDF encryption. The exact encryption method depends on the current tool implementation.
The tool uses AES-256 as implemented by the current PDF library.
PDF Protector vs Other PDF Tools
PDF Protector: Use PDF Protector when you want to add password protection or document permissions to a PDF.
PDF Merger: Use PDF Merger when you want to combine multiple PDF files into one document.
PDF Splitter: Use PDF Splitter when you need to extract or separate pages from a PDF.
PDF Compressor: Use PDF Compressor when your main goal is reducing file size rather than controlling access.
Supported PDF Limits and Requirements
Input type: PDF
Maximum upload size: 100 MB
Available permission controls: printing, copying text, editing
Protection is applied locally in the browser.