Protect PDF
Add a password to your PDF online for free. Anyone who opens the file will have to type it first. Protect one PDF or several at once.
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How to Password Protect a PDF
Sending a contract, a payslip, or a medical report? Add a password to the PDF first. ToolifyPDF lets you password protect a PDF right in your browser: upload your file, type a password twice, and download the locked PDF. Anyone who opens it in Adobe Acrobat, a web browser, Mac Preview, or a phone app will be asked for the password. You can protect up to 10 PDF files at once with the same password. No software to install, no account, and no watermark.
Password to Open
The protected PDF asks for the password every time it's opened, in any PDF reader, on any device. It's encrypted with AES-256, the strongest encryption PDF readers support.
Several Files at Once
Protect up to 10 PDF files with the same password in one go and download them together in a ZIP.
Change a PDF Password
Upload a PDF that already has a password, enter the current one, and set a new password.
How to Add a Password to a PDF
- Select Files: Click "Select Files" or drag and drop one or more PDF files into the box.
- Set the Password: Type your password in "Set Password", then again in "Confirm Password".
- Protect: Click "Protect PDF".
- Download: Save your password-protected PDF, or a ZIP if you protected several files.
Password Protect PDF Files on Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android
ToolifyPDF works in any modern browser. You can add a password to a PDF on Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, or Android without installing software. It works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge.
Why Password Protect PDF Files with ToolifyPDF?
Adding a password usually requires Adobe Acrobat Pro. ToolifyPDF does it for free in your browser, on any device, in a few seconds. It's perfect for:
- Sending contracts, quotes, and invoices by email
- Sharing payslips, tax documents, and bank statements
- Protecting medical reports and personal records
- Locking several files with the same password in one step
- Changing the password of a PDF someone sent you
FAQ
How do I password protect a PDF?
Upload your PDF to ToolifyPDF, type a password twice, and click "Protect PDF". Download the new file: from now on, it can only be opened by someone who knows the password.
What happens when someone opens the protected PDF?
Their PDF reader (Adobe Acrobat, Chrome, Edge, Mac Preview, or a phone app) shows a password box. The document only opens after the correct password is typed.
Can I stop people from printing or copying my PDF?
Yes. Click the shield button next to Protect PDF. Printing, high-quality printing, copying, editing, adding or deleting pages, filling in forms, and comments are all blocked by default; untick anything you want to allow. People who open the file with the password can then only do what you allowed. Adobe Reader and most PDF reader apps respect these restrictions, but some web browsers (Firefox, for example) and editing programs ignore them, so don't rely on them alone for highly sensitive documents.
Can I protect several PDF files at once?
Yes. You can upload up to 10 PDF files. They all get the same password, and you download them together in a ZIP file.
Can I change the password of a PDF that's already protected?
Yes. When you upload it, you'll be asked for its current password. Then set the new password and click "Protect PDF": the file is saved with the new password only.
How do I remove the password later?
Use our Unlock PDF tool. Upload the protected file, type its password, and download a copy without a password.
What if I forget the password?
We don't keep your password or your files, so we can't recover it. Write the password down somewhere safe, or keep an unprotected copy of the original.
Will my PDF look the same?
Yes. The file isn't rebuilt: text, images, links, bookmarks, and fillable form fields stay exactly as they were. Only the password is added.
Does it work on Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Android?
Yes. ToolifyPDF runs in your web browser, so you can add a password to a PDF on any computer or phone without installing Adobe Acrobat or any other software.
How do I choose a good password?
Use at least 12 characters and mix words, numbers, and symbols. Don't reuse a password from your email or bank, and send the password to the recipient separately, for example by text message instead of in the same email as the PDF.
Is it free, and are there any limits?
Yes, it's completely free, with no account and no watermark. Each PDF can be up to 200 MB, and you can protect up to 10 files at once.
Advanced Features
Our Protect PDF tool also offers these useful features:
- Password Confirmation: Type the password twice, so a typo doesn't lock you out of your own file.
- Show Password: Reveal what you typed to check it before protecting the file.
- Restrictions: Block printing, high-quality printing, copying, editing, page changes, form filling, and comments (all blocked by default, untick what you want to allow).
- Batch Protection: Lock up to 10 PDF files with the same password at once.
- Change Passwords: Replace the password of a PDF that's already protected.
- Original File Names: Your protected PDF files keep their original names.
💡 Pro Tip
Never send the password in the same email as the PDF. Share it another way, for example by text message or phone, so the file stays protected even if the email is forwarded.
Privacy & Security
We take your privacy seriously. All file uploads and processing happen over encrypted HTTPS connections. Your files are automatically deleted from our servers after one hour, and we never store or share your documents with third parties. You maintain complete control over your data at all times.
Ready to protect your PDF?
Add a password to your PDF now. It's free, fast, and requires no registration.