Password Protect PDF Online

This free online tool password-protects a PDF in seconds. Upload your file, choose a password and download a protected copy that asks for the password every time it is opened. The PDF is encrypted in your browser, so neither the file nor the password ever leaves your device.

  • Lightning Fast
  • 100% Free
  • Privacy First
  • Password-Protect PDFs
  • Works in Any Reader

Add a password to your PDF so only the right people can open it

How to Password Protect a PDF in 3 Steps

1. Upload Your PDF

Click Browse or drag and drop the PDF you want to protect into the tool.

2. Choose a Password

Type the password twice to confirm it. You can also set an optional owner password, a second password that opens the file too.

3. Download Your PDF

Click Protect PDF, then download the protected copy. Share it, and send the password separately.

Why Use Our PDF Password Tool?

The private way to lock a PDF before you share it.

Lightning Fast

Most PDFs are protected in a second or two. There is no upload and no queue to wait for.

100% Free

No hidden fees, no sign-up and no watermark. Protect as many PDFs as you need, completely free.

Privacy First

Your PDF and your password never leave your device. The file is encrypted in your browser with WebAssembly and never uploaded.

Opens in Every PDF Reader

Adobe Acrobat, Preview, Chrome, Edge, Firefox and phone PDF apps all ask for the password and open the file.

Optional Owner Password

Set a second password for yourself, so the file still opens for you if you share the first one.

Nothing Else Changes

Only encryption is added. Text, fonts, images, links and page layout stay exactly as they were.

Build Document Automation That Scales With APITemplate

APITemplate is an API-first platform that generates professional PDFs and images at scale from reusable templates, raw HTML, or URLs. Integrate via REST API, SDKs, or no-code tools like Zapier, Make, and n8n.

Create Document Templates with Visual Editor

Create stunning PDFs using our WYSIWYG Template Editor. With its user-friendly interface, you can design templates visually — no coding required.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I password protect a PDF?

Upload the PDF, type a password in both boxes and click Protect PDF. Download the protected copy, and anyone who opens it will be asked for that password.

Who can open the protected PDF?

Anyone who knows the password. Every PDF reader asks for it before showing the document, and without it the content cannot be read.

What is the owner password?

An optional second password that also opens the file. It is useful when you share the user password but want one of your own. If you leave it empty, the user password is used for both. This tool does not set printing or copying restrictions, so anyone who opens the PDF can print and copy it.

How secure is the protection?

The PDF is encrypted with the standard 128-bit encryption that every PDF reader supports. Its strength depends on your password: a long password that mixes words, numbers and symbols is far harder to guess than a short one. For legal or regulated records, use software that applies AES-256 encryption.

Is my PDF uploaded to a server?

No. The PDF and the password stay on your device. The file is encrypted in your browser with WebAssembly, so nothing is uploaded, stored or shared.

Can I protect a PDF that already has a password?

Not directly. Remove the existing password first with our free Unlock PDF tool, then protect the unlocked file with the new password.

Can I remove the password later?

Yes. Use our free Unlock PDF tool with the same password to get an unprotected copy back.

Should I compress or merge the PDF before protecting it?

Yes. Tools that change a PDF need to read it, so compress, merge or split it first and add the password last.

What is APITemplate.io?

APITemplate.io is designed for generating PDF documents from reusable templates. It can be easily integrated with popular tools like Zapier, Airtable, Make.com, Bubble.io, n8n, UiPath, or directly via REST API, making it highly adaptable to various workflows.

There are three main ways to generate PDF documents using APITemplate.io:

  1. Template-based PDF generation: Create PDFs from predefined templates.
  2. HTML to PDF generation: Convert HTML content directly into PDF format.
  3. URL to PDF generation: Convert entire web pages to PDFs by simply providing their URLs.

The platform also supports custom CSS and JavaScript, allowing for advanced styling and customization. Its powerful template engine ensures that you can create complex documents efficiently, while the API Console enables you to preview and customize JSON data instantly.

In addition, APITemplate.io offers support for adding custom headers and footers, including page numbers and total page counts, making it an excellent choice for creating polished, professional PDF documents.

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