Protect a PDF with a password
Encrypt a PDF so it opens only with the password you choose. Useful before emailing payslips, contracts, IDs or medical records.
- Runs in your browser
- No sign-up
- Nothing uploaded
Your files
How to use the Protect PDF
- Add one or more PDF files.
- Type the password twice (the same password is used for every file in the list).
- Press "Protect".
- Download the protected PDF and send the password separately, for example by phone or another app.
The protected PDF is encrypted with AES-256, the strongest method the PDF standard offers and the default of current PDF software. Every reader (Adobe Acrobat, Chrome, Edge, Safari, phone apps) asks for the password before showing the file.
Once opened with the password, the file can be read, printed and copied as usual: the password protects who can open it, not what they can do afterwards.
Choose a long password: several words are easier to remember and harder to guess than a short code. Keep the password safe: neither File Perks nor anyone else can open the file without it. To remove the password later, use Unlock PDF with the same password.
Formats and limits
- Opens
- Creates
- The same PDF, opening only with your password (AES-256)
- File size
- Up to 50 MB per file, 20 files (200 MB) at a time
- Processing
- On your device, in your browser
Good to know
- Up to 20 PDFs at a time; 50 MB per file.
- A file that already has a password must be unlocked first.
- Some very old PDF readers cannot open AES-256 files.
Your files are processed on your own device. They are not uploaded to File Perks or anyone else. Read the Privacy Policy.
Frequently asked questions
Is my password sent anywhere?
No. The PDF is encrypted in your browser. The password is not stored, and it is cleared when you start over or leave the page.
What if I forget the password?
The file cannot be opened without it, by anyone. Keep the password somewhere safe, and keep an unprotected copy if you might need one.
How strong is the protection?
The file is encrypted with AES-256. The real strength depends on your password: use a long one that is not used elsewhere.
Can I remove the password later?
Yes, with Unlock PDF, by typing the same password.
Are my PDFs uploaded?
No. The PDF is opened, changed and saved by your browser, on your device. Nothing is sent to File Perks or anyone else, so confidential documents stay with you.