Password-protect a PDF
Lock a PDF with an open password (and optionally a separate owner password with permissions). Encrypted on your device.
Drop your PDF files here or click to browse
Stays on your device — nothing is uploaded
Select several files to process them together
How do I password-protect a PDF for free?
Open PDFkitt's Protect PDF tool (pdfkitt.com/protect-pdf/): choose the PDF, type the password twice, protect, then download. It is free, needs no account and adds no watermark, and it runs entirely in your browser — the file is never uploaded to a server.
- Price
- Free — no trial, no paid tier, no watermark
- Account
- Not needed
- File upload
- None — processed on your device, in the browser
- Input
- PDF files (several at once)
- Limits
- No daily quota and no file-count limit
- Works on
- Windows, macOS, Linux, iPhone, iPad and Android, in any modern browser
Updated · by the PDFkitt team
A password is the simplest way to keep a document private on its way to the recipient — payslips, medical records, contracts, exam papers. Type the password twice, choose AES-256 (or AES-128 for very old readers) and download: anyone opening the file in any PDF reader must enter the password first.
Encryption runs in your browser with the standard PDF security handler, so neither the document nor the password is ever sent to a server. There is no way to recover a forgotten password, so keep the original file too.
How to password-protect a PDF
- Choose the PDF One or many — the same password applies.
- Type the password twice Longer is stronger; a short sentence works well.
- Protect Encrypted on your device.
- Download Share the password by a different channel than the file.
Why use PDFkitt to protect PDF?
The file is processed inside your browser tab. Disconnect from the internet after the page loads and it still works.
No signup, no email, no daily quota, no page limit, no watermark. Use it as often as you like.
Phone, tablet or desktop, in Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox. Nothing to install.
Frequently asked questions
AES-256 or AES-128?
AES-256 unless the recipient uses a very old reader (pre-2010). Both are secure with a good password.
What is an owner password?
A second password that lets you change permissions or remove the protection later without changing the open password.
Are my passwords or files sent anywhere?
No. Encryption and decryption happen inside your browser with standard PDF algorithms; passwords are never transmitted or stored.