Protect PDF
Password protect a PDF free with AES-256 encryption. Set a password on your device — the file is never uploaded. Open only with the password.
The 10-second test: switch off your Wi-Fi (or turn on airplane mode) and use this tool anyway. It keeps working — because there is no server doing the work.
The technical check: open your browser's developer tools, go to the Network tab, and run the tool. Your file is never sent anywhere.
Measured live on this page — files transmitted: 0 · file data sent: 0 bytes
This counter hooks the browser's own networking functions, so it would rise the instant any file data left this page. The only thing this site ever transmits is the contact form, if you choose to send one.
Select PDF files
or drag & drop — pasting works too (Ctrl+V)
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How to password protect a PDF
Choose your PDF, set a password, and download an encrypted copy that can only be opened with that password. everySIMPLEtool uses AES-256 — the same encryption standard used by banks — and applies it entirely on your device, so the unprotected file never travels anywhere.
What the password actually does
This applies real AES-256 encryption, not a viewing restriction. The file's contents are encrypted, so without the password there is nothing readable inside it — a PDF reader cannot simply be told to ignore the setting. That is a meaningful difference from the "permissions" password some tools apply, which merely asks readers politely not to allow printing and is trivially bypassed.
Choosing a password that is worth using
AES-256 is not the weak point; your password is. A short or common password can be tested against the file offline at enormous speed. Use a long passphrase — several unrelated words — and generate one with the password generator if you would rather not invent it.
Sending it safely
Do not email the password in the same message as the file. Send the document by email and the password by text message or in person. A password attached to the thing it protects is not protecting anything.
There is no recovery
We do not hold your file or your password — nothing is uploaded, so there is nothing to recover from. If you forget the password, the document is genuinely unrecoverable. Write it down somewhere safe before you send the file.
Frequently asked questions
How strong is the protection?
AES-256 encryption — the current industry standard. Without the password, the contents cannot be read.
What happens if I forget the password?
The file cannot be recovered — that's the point of real encryption. Store the password somewhere safe, like a password manager.
Is my file uploaded to be encrypted?
No. The encryption runs in your browser via WebAssembly. The file never leaves your computer.
What encryption is used?
AES-256, the current standard. The file contents are genuinely encrypted rather than flagged as restricted.
What happens if I forget the password?
The document cannot be recovered. Nothing is uploaded to us, so there is no copy and no reset — store the password before you send the file.
Should I email the password with the file?
No. Send the file one way and the password another, such as by text message. A password sent alongside the document provides no protection.