PandaFileKit

Protect PDF

Add an open password with AES-256 encryption, plus optional print, copy and edit limits.

PDF → PDF

Sent to server: 0 B

Requests made by this tool while processing · how to verify
Requests that could carry data
0
Engine downloads (code, models)
0
Analytics pings (no file data)
0

Counted with the browser's Performance API during the last job. It sees every request the page makes, but not what is inside them, so anything that is not a static download is counted above.

To check yourself: open DevTools → Network, clear the list, run the tool, and inspect each request. None will contain your file. You can also switch to offline after the page loads; tools whose engine is already downloaded keep working.

Drop PDF here

or paste, or choose a file

PDF → PDF

Choose one PDF to lock with a password (AES-256).

Lock a PDF with a password before you send or store it

Attachments get forwarded, shared folders get over-shared and laptops get lost. An open password means the file can't be read without it, which is sensible for payslips, tax returns, medical reports, contracts, ID scans and anything carrying account numbers. Send the password by a different route from the file: the PDF by email, the password by text message or in person.

  • Sending a payslip, invoice or tax document to an accountant.
  • Sharing passport or ID scans with an employer, landlord or agency.
  • Keeping medical or legal documents in cloud storage.
  • Handing out a report that people may read but shouldn't edit or copy from.

Open password, permissions and the owner password

The open password is what a reader types to view the file. It is applied with AES-256, the strongest standard PDF encryption, which Acrobat, browsers, macOS Preview and current phone viewers all open. Type it twice; a hint suggests 12 or more characters. Under After it is opened, choose whether printing, copying text and images, and editing (changing pages, filling forms, commenting) are allowed. The optional owner password lets you change those permissions later in a PDF editor. Leave it empty and a random one is generated and never stored, so the limits stay fixed. Before the file is saved, the tool checks that it refuses to open without your password and opens with it.

  • Use an owner password that differs from the open password, or the limits won't apply to anyone who knows the open password.
  • A PDF that already has an open password must be unlocked first, then protected with the new one.
  • Existing print or copy limits are replaced by the settings you choose.

The password protects; permissions only ask

Print, copy and edit limits are respected by standard readers such as Acrobat, Chrome and Preview, but they are a request, not a lock: some software ignores them, and anyone can photograph a screen. The open password is what keeps people out. The file is encrypted on your device, so nobody can recover a forgotten password for you; keep it in a password manager.

  • Open the protected copy and type the password once to confirm it works.
  • Read the permission summary in the result panel before sending.
  • Keep an unprotected original somewhere safe.

Protect PDF: questions

How strong is the encryption?

The file is encrypted with AES-256, the strongest standard PDF encryption. In practice the password is the weak point, so use 12 or more characters that aren't easy to guess from your personal details.

What is the owner password for?

It lets you change the print, copy and edit permissions later in a PDF editor. Leave it empty and a random one is used and not stored, so the permissions can't be changed. It should differ from the open password.

Can people get around the print and copy limits?

Some can. Standard readers such as Acrobat, Chrome and Preview respect them, but other software may ignore them. The open password is the real protection.

I forgot the password I set. Can you recover it?

No. The file was encrypted on your device and the password was never stored anywhere. Keep passwords in a password manager, and keep an unprotected original.

Can I protect a PDF that already has a password?

If it has an open password, unlock it first with Unlock PDF, then protect it with the new one. If it only has print or copy limits, they are replaced by your new settings.

Is my PDF uploaded to add the password?

No. Encryption runs in your browser, so the unprotected file never leaves your device.