Open your file
Drop a PDF onto the workspace, or click Choose files. It opens on your device; nothing is uploaded.
pdf2kit / Protect PDF
PDF tool
Protect PDF
Lock a PDF with a password, right on your device. It uses AES-256 encryption, so the file asks for the password before it opens - and nothing is ever uploaded.
Drop a PDF to protect
It opens in the workspace on your device. Nothing is uploaded.
then turn on Password protect
Step by step
How to password protect a PDF
Good for a contract, a payslip or anything private you need to send. There is nothing to install and no sign-up.
Turn on Password protect
Open Document options, switch on Password protect, and type the password you want.
Download the locked PDF
Click Download PDF. The file is locked with AES-256 encryption right on your device.
Share it safely
Send the file. Anyone who opens it is asked for the password first.
Watch it
See how to password-protect a PDF
Lock a PDF with a password, encrypted with AES-256 on your own device. Nothing is uploaded.
Why pdf2kit
Lock a PDF without uploading it
A file worth locking is usually a file worth keeping private - a contract, a bank statement, an ID scan. Sending it to a website just to add a password works against the whole point. pdf2kit locks it on your own device with AES-256 encryption and never uploads a thing. It is free, with no account and no watermark. Two honest notes: Anyone who has the password can open the file, and a lost password cannot be recovered, so keep it somewhere safe.
FAQ
Protect PDF: Common questions
Is my file uploaded?
No. The PDF is locked in the page on your device, using qpdf compiled to WebAssembly. Your file and your password never leave your computer.
What kind of encryption is used?
Standard PDF encryption with AES-256, the strongest the PDF format offers. The reader asks for the password before it shows the file.
Can you recover a lost password?
No. Nobody can. Because the file is locked on your device and nothing is stored, a lost password cannot be recovered. Keep it somewhere safe.
Can the password be removed?
Anyone who has the password can open the file and, with our Remove password tool, save an unlocked copy. A PDF password stops casual opening; it is not a vault against someone who knows the password.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. It runs in the browser on a phone, tablet or computer, with nothing to install.
Can I lock several files at once?
Add them all to the workspace. They become one PDF, and that PDF is locked with your password when you download it.
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