How to Password Protect and Unlock a PDF
PDFs often carry things that are not meant for everyone: a contract, a payslip, a medical report, a quote for a client. Putting a password on the file means that even if it ends up in the wrong inbox, it cannot simply be opened. And when a protected file becomes inconvenient, you can remove the password again as long as you know it. Here is how both steps work.
How to add a password to a PDF
- Open the Protect PDF tool.
- Upload your PDF (up to 20 MB).
- Type the password you want to use.
- Press Generate and download the protected copy.
- Open the new file to confirm that it asks for the password.
Your original stays unprotected on your device, and you receive a separate protected file. The password you type is sent to our server together with the file so that the tool can apply it, which is worth remembering for extremely sensitive documents. For those, offline software on your own computer is the better choice.
How to choose a good password
- Make it long. Length matters more than complexity. A phrase of several unrelated words is strong and easy to remember.
- Avoid the obvious. Names, birthdays, phone numbers and common words are the first things guessed.
- Do not reuse it. Use a different password from the ones you use for email and banking.
- Store it safely. A password manager is ideal. We do not offer password recovery, so a forgotten password means the file cannot be reopened.
How to share the password safely
Never send the password in the same message as the file. If you email the PDF, give the password by phone call or through a different messaging app. That way, someone who gets hold of only one of them cannot open the document.
How to remove a password
If you can already open a file and want a copy without the password, use Unlock PDF.
- Upload the protected PDF (up to 20 MB).
- Enter the password that opens it.
- Press Generate and download the unlocked copy.
This tool does not guess or crack passwords. It only works when you supply the correct one, and you should only unlock files that belong to you or that you have permission to change.
When unlocking is useful
- You want to merge or split a protected file with Merge PDF or Split PDF.
- You are tired of typing the password for a document you use every day.
- You are archiving a file and the password is no longer needed.
What a password does and does not do
A password keeps casual readers out and is an effective barrier against accidental exposure. It is not a guarantee against a determined attacker, and it will not stop someone who has the password from copying the contents. For documents that are truly confidential, combine a strong password with careful sharing and a trusted device.
A sensible routine
- Finish and review the document.
- Protect a copy with a strong password.
- Send the file and the password through separate channels.
- Keep the unprotected original in a safe place.
Adding a password takes seconds and removes a lot of risk. Just remember it, because it is the only key to the file.