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PDF Encrypt / Decrypt

Free online PDF password protection and removal with permission restrictions, all processed in the browser

Upload PDF

Password settings

Result

Upload a PDF to set a password

About this tool

PDF encryption sets an open password and cryptographic protection so a viewer cannot directly read the document without the password. It adds access friction in a controlled workflow, but security depends on password strength, algorithm, distribution, and how recipients store the secret.

Password protection is not a digital signature and cannot prevent an authorized reader from taking screenshots, copying pages, or redistributing content. Sensitive material also needs secure transfer, least privilege, expiry, and revocation. Do not send the file and password in one message.

How to use it

  1. Confirm the file and recipients

    Remove unnecessary sensitive pages and identify exactly who needs access.

  2. Set a strong unique password

    Use a long random passphrase that is not reused as an account password.

  3. Verify and send separately

    Open the new file to test it, then share the password through another trusted channel.

Supported range and limits

Open password
Encrypts the content. Without it the pages cannot be read at all; this is the real protection
Permission flags
No-printing and no-copying are declarations addressed to the reader application; they hold only if it honours them, and are not encryption strength
Removing a password
Requires knowing the current one. This is not a password cracker
Password recovery
Not possible. A document whose open password is forgotten cannot be opened here or anywhere else
Knock-on effect
Other PDF tools; merge, split, watermark; cannot read the document until it is decrypted
Where it runs
Entirely in the browser; neither the document nor the password is uploaded

When you would use it

  • Sending a sensitive attachment

    Add an open password to a PDF containing personal or business information.

  • Restricting a temporary delivery

    Provide basic access control to a small group when a document portal is unavailable.

  • Protecting a sensitive document before you send it

    Set an open password on a contract, quotation or medical report before it goes out by email or chat, and share the password through a different channel.

What to know before you start

  • A strong forgotten password is generally unrecoverable, so store it in a controlled password manager.
  • Permission restrictions vary by PDF viewer and are not strong prevention against copying.
  • Encryption does not prove authorship or integrity; authenticity requires a digital signature.

Related concepts

user password
The secret required to open an encrypted PDF.
digital signature
Cryptography verifying a signer and post-signing changes, serving a different purpose from encryption.

Frequently asked questions

Does encrypting a PDF upload my file?
No. Both encryption and decryption run locally in your browser, so contracts and IDs are never uploaded.
Can it remove an existing open password?
Yes, but you must enter the correct original password first; only after it is verified can a password-free PDF be produced.
What permission restrictions are supported?
Besides an open password, you can restrict actions like printing and copying to control how the document is used.
Can you open it if I forgot the password?
No. This is not a password cracker; removing a password requires knowing it. A document whose open password is lost cannot be opened by any legitimate tool; which is exactly what encryption is supposed to achieve.
Are no-printing and no-copying reliable?
No. Those permission flags are declarations inside the document that depend on the reader honouring them, and plenty of tools simply ignore them. When something genuinely must stay private, use an open password, which actually encrypts the content.

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