A PDF can hold anything from a payslip to a contract to medical results — documents you don't want just anyone opening. Adding a password is the simplest way to keep a PDF private when you email it or store it in the cloud. And if you have a file you own that's already password-protected and you're tired of typing the password every time, you can remove it just as easily. This guide covers both: how to protect a PDF, and how to unlock one you own.
Part 1 — Password-protect a PDF
Encrypting a PDF scrambles its contents so it can only be opened with the password you set. Anyone who intercepts the file — or finds it on a shared drive — just sees an encrypted document they can't read. It's the easiest meaningful security you can add to a sensitive document.
- Open the Protect PDF tool and upload the file you want to secure.
- Choose a strong password. Type it carefully — you'll need this exact password to open the file later.
- Protect & download. The tool encrypts your PDF and gives you the protected version to download.
- Test it once by opening the downloaded file — your PDF reader should prompt for the password.
Protect a PDF now
Add a password and keep your document private — free, nothing stored.
Open Protect PDF →Don't lose the password. A protected PDF is genuinely encrypted — if you forget the password, neither you nor we can recover the contents. Store it somewhere safe (a password manager is ideal) before you send the file anywhere.
Tips for a strong PDF password
- Make it long. Length beats complexity — a memorable phrase of several words is both strong and easier to recall than a short jumble.
- Don't reuse an important password. Use one specific to the document, not your email or bank password.
- Send the password separately. If you email the PDF, share the password by a different channel (a text message or a call), never in the same email.
- Use a password manager to store it so you're not relying on memory.
Part 2 — Unlock a PDF you own
"Unlocking" here means removing a password you already know from a file you have the right to change — so you stop being prompted every single time you open it. Common cases: a bank statement that arrives locked with a password you know, or an old document you secured long ago and now want to keep open.
- Open the Unlock PDF tool and upload your protected file.
- Enter the current password — the one the file already uses.
- Unlock & download. The tool removes the password and gives you a normal PDF that opens without prompting.
Unlock a PDF now
Remove a known password from a file you own — quick and private.
Open Unlock PDF →You must know the password. Unlock PDF removes a password you already have — it is not a password cracker and cannot open a file you don't have the password for. Only remove protection from documents you own or are authorised to modify. Stripping security from someone else's confidential file may be against the law and is never the intent of this tool.
Protect vs. Unlock — which do you need?
- Use Protect PDF when you're sending or storing something sensitive and want to control who can open it.
- Use Unlock PDF when you already have a file whose password you know and you want to stop being asked for it.
Good to know: you can do both. Unlock a statement you receive locked, work with it, then Protect it again with your own password before archiving it.
Is this private?
Yes. Your file — and the password you type — are used only to perform the operation in that moment. The result is processed and the file is deleted automatically the moment your download finishes. Nothing is stored, there's no account, and your password is never saved or logged. Like every tool here, it runs free in your browser with no watermark on the result.
Frequently asked questions
In short
Protecting a PDF takes seconds and keeps sensitive documents private — just don't lose the password, because it can't be recovered. Unlocking removes a password you already know from a file you own, so you stop being prompted. Both are free, private, and leave nothing behind on the server.