How to password protect a PDF online
Payslips, contracts and identity documents are safer with a password, especially when they travel by email. Here is how to add one.
Go straight to the PDF password tool if you already know what to do.
Step-by-step
- 1
Open the protect tool
Go to the protect tool and add the PDF you want to secure.
- 2
Choose a strong password
Use something long and unique. It is applied in your browser and is not stored anywhere.
- 3
Protect the file
Run the tool to produce an encrypted copy of the document.
- 4
Share carefully
Send the password through a different channel from the file itself, such as a phone call or message.
Things worth knowing
Keep the original
Nobody can recover a forgotten password for you, because the file never reaches a server. Keep an unprotected copy somewhere safe.
Removing protection later
The unlock tool removes the password when you know it.
Watermarks
For documents that are shared widely, a visible watermark alongside the password makes copies easy to identify.