# Protect a PDF with a password

Add a password that anyone must type to open the PDF. Optionally block printing, copying and editing for people who open it.

Open: https://pdfjade.com/protect-pdf

## How to protect a PDF with a password

1. Add your PDF.
2. Type a password twice, and choose what people may do once it is open.
3. Press Protect PDF and download the locked copy.

## At a glance

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Where files are processed | In your browser. The file is never uploaded. |
| How long files are kept | Nothing is kept on a server, because nothing is sent to one. |
| Free limits | No caps on files, pages or tasks. Your device's memory is the practical limit. |
| Account | None |
| Price | Free |
| Ads | None |
| Offline option | No app. Works in any current browser, on desktop and phone |

## Private by design

Compression, encryption and text recognition all run in your browser. Your file and your password are never sent to a server.

## Good to know

The file is encrypted with AES-256, the strongest method in the PDF standard, supported by Acrobat, Preview, Chrome, Edge and every current reader. A long password matters more than a clever one: four unrelated words beat a short string of symbols.

## Questions

### What if I forget the password?

Nobody can recover it, including us: we never see it. Keep your unprotected original, or store the password in a password manager.

### Do print and copy restrictions really stop people?

They stop honest readers and most apps. They are a request written into the file rather than a lock, so a determined person with the right software can ignore them. The opening password, on the other hand, is real encryption.

### Is the password sent anywhere?

No. The file is encrypted inside your browser and the password never leaves this page.

### Will it open on a phone?

Yes. iOS, Android and their built-in viewers support AES-256 protected PDFs.

## Related tools

- [Unlock PDF](https://pdfjade.com/unlock-pdf)
- [OCR PDF](https://pdfjade.com/ocr-pdf)
- [Compress PDF](https://pdfjade.com/compress-pdf)
- [Delete pages](https://pdfjade.com/delete-pdf-pages)
- [Interleave PDFs](https://pdfjade.com/interleave-pdf)

Source: https://pdfjade.com/protect-pdf