PDF Password Protector

## Add Password Protection to a PDF The PDF Password Protector encrypts a PDF and locks it behind a password, with options to control what recipients are allowed to do once they open it. It is the straightforward way to secure a document before emailing or sharing it. The encryption happens locally in your browser. Your PDF is never uploaded to a server, which is essential when the document holds financial details, health records, legal material, or anything you would not want passing through someone else's system. ## What Password Protection Does Protecting a PDF can involve two distinct controls: - An **open password** (user password) that a recipient must enter to view the document at all. - **Permissions** that govern what they can do after opening, such as printing, copying text, or editing. Applying a password encrypts the file's contents, so the data is not readable without the key, not merely hidden behind a prompt. ## When to Use It - Sending statements, invoices, or contracts over email. - Sharing a document on a platform you do not fully trust. - Distributing a read-only report you do not want altered or copied. - Meeting a requirement to encrypt files containing personal data. ### Tips for Strong Protection - Choose a long, unique password and deliver it through a separate channel from the file itself. - Set permissions to match intent, for example allow viewing but restrict copying or editing. - Remember that permission flags are honored by well-behaved readers; the open password and encryption are what actually keep contents private. ## Privacy by Design Because the file is encrypted on your own device, the unprotected document never leaves your machine and the password is never transmitted to a server. That keeps the entire operation private from start to finish, exactly what you want when the reason for protecting the file is sensitivity in the first place.