Password-protect a PDF
Protect PDF on ilovspdfs encrypts a PDF with AES-256 so it opens only with the password you set, with optional limits on printing and copying. It runs on ilovspdfs servers as part of Pro: the file is sent over HTTPS, encrypted in memory, and never stored.
Pro tool. The file is sent over HTTPS, processed in memory, and never stored.
Drop your file here
.pdf · up to 4.0 MB
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About this tool
Real encryption, not a lock icon. The document is encrypted with AES-256 using the standard PDF security handler, so it opens in any reader that asks for the password and in none that do not have it. You can also restrict printing and copying for people who open it with the password. The password itself is used once, to encrypt the file, and is not kept anywhere.
How to password-protect a PDF
- 1Choose the PDF to protect.
- 2Set the password, and any limits on printing or copying.
- 3Download the encrypted document.
At a glance
| What it does | Add a password to a PDF with AES-256 encryption. |
|---|---|
| Where it runs | Sent over HTTPS, processed in memory, never stored |
| Accepts | |
| Files per job | One at a time |
| Maximum file size | 4 MB |
| Price | Part of Pro. Needs an account and a subscription; no watermark. |
| Status | Working |
Questions
- Is my file uploaded for this tool?
- Yes. Unlike the tools marked Private, this one sends your file to an ilovspdfs server over HTTPS, processes it in memory, and streams the result straight back as the response. Nothing is written to disk, nothing is logged about the contents, and nothing remains once the response has been sent.
- What kind of encryption is used?
- AES-256 through the standard PDF security handler, the same mechanism desktop PDF software uses. The file opens in any modern reader once the password is entered.
- What if I forget the password?
- Then the document is unreadable, by you and by us. The password is never stored, so there is nothing to look up. Keep it somewhere safe before you share the file.
- Why does this tool need a Pro subscription?
- Because it runs on hardware we pay for. Everything that runs in your own browser stays free with no account, at any file size. The cloud tools are the few jobs a browser tab genuinely cannot do, and Pro is what pays for the machines that do them.
Also called Password protect a PDF, Encrypt a PDF, Lock a PDF.