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Protect PDF

Password-protect a PDF

Secure your PDF with a password and AES encryption so only the right people can open it.

Drop your PDF here, or click to browse
PDF · up to 15 MB

Password-protect a PDF online, free

PDF Vision password-protects your PDF with AES-256 encryption written into the file itself, so any reader asks for the password before opening it. Without an account you get exactly that: one password, strong encryption, nothing to configure. With an account, five permission switches control printing, editing, copying, annotating and form filling independently. You can stamp a watermark carrying your account name, your email address and the date on every page, plus any extra text you add such as "Confidential"; note an expiry date in the document properties; or skip passwords entirely and seal the file with a cryptographic signature instead. Free with a free account.

How to password-protect a PDF

  1. Upload your PDF

    Drop the document you want to secure onto the page — no account, no sign-in. It is sent to our servers for encryption, because a browser cannot encrypt a PDF on its own.

  2. Set the password and rules

    Type the password readers will need — at least four characters. AES-256 is applied automatically; there is nothing else to choose.

  3. Download the protected file

    Download the encrypted copy straight away. The permission switches, watermark and expiry date are in the app, with a free account.

Why use it

Five separate permissions

Printing, editing, copying, annotating and form filling are independent switches, so you can let a client read and print a quote while blocking copy-paste of your pricing.

AES-256 by default

The encryption is written into the PDF itself, not added by a viewer, so Acrobat, Preview, Chrome and phone readers all demand the password before showing a single page.

Signature instead of password

A second mode seals the file with a cryptographic signature rather than locking it: recipients open it freely, but Adobe Reader flags the document if a single byte changes afterwards.

Frequently asked questions

Is Protect PDF free?
Yes, and the first document each day needs no account at all — you set a password, download the protected file, and leave with it. That daily allowance is shared across every free PDF Vision tool. A free account lifts it and raises the size ceiling from 15 MB to 100 MB; the permission switches, watermarking and expiry dates stay with an account too.
What encryption does PDF Vision use to protect a PDF?
AES-128 or AES-256, chosen before you apply protection. AES-256 is selected by default and is the strength expected of modern PDFs; the encryption travels with the file wherever it is copied.
Can I let people print a PDF but not copy the text?
Yes. Leave Printing ticked and untick "Copying text and images". Readers that honour PDF permissions will then print normally while refusing copy-paste; the same applies to editing, comments and form filling.
What happens if I forget the password I set?
There is no recovery. PDF Vision does not keep your password and the encryption is real, so an unopenable file stays unopenable. Always keep the original unprotected copy somewhere safe.
Does the expiry date stop people opening the PDF afterwards?
No. It is recorded in the document properties as a reference; the PDF format has no universal way to enforce it and most readers ignore it. For a deadline that actually bites, share the file as a public link from My Documents.
Can I password-protect and digitally sign the same PDF?
No — the two can't be combined. Pick password/encryption or digital signature for a given file; asking for both is rejected, and pushing an already-encrypted PDF back through signature mode fails at load. The signature mode produces a real cryptographic seal; unless your administrator supplies a certificate from a recognised authority, Adobe Reader shows it as signed with an unknown issuer.

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