Encrypt PDF
Encrypt a PDF with a password using AES-256. Set separate open and permissions passwords, all handled in your browser.
Upload PDF File
About This Tool
Email is not a secure channel, and attachments get forwarded. Encrypting the document means the content is unreadable without the password, wherever the file ends up.
Two passwords do different jobs. The user password is required to open the document at all - without it, the content cannot be read. The owner password controls permissions such as printing and copying while still allowing the file to be opened. You can set either or both.
Encryption uses AES-256, the current standard, and happens in your browser - so the password is never transmitted and the unencrypted file never leaves your machine. Send the password by a different channel from the file itself; emailing both together defeats the exercise.
How to Use
Load the PDF
Drop in the document you want to protect.
Set the passwords
A user password to control opening, an owner password to control permissions, or both.
Choose the permissions
Decide whether printing, copying, editing and annotating are allowed.
Encrypt and download
Save the protected file, and send the password separately.
Use Cases
Sending confidential documents
Salary letters, medical records and contracts that stay unreadable if forwarded.
Regulated data
Encryption at rest is frequently a compliance requirement for stored documents.
Controlled distribution
Readable but not printable or copyable, using an owner password.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the two passwords?
The user password is needed to open the file. The owner password governs what can be done once it is open. Use both for the strongest control.
How strong is AES-256?
Very. The practical weak point is the password, so use a long one - encryption cannot compensate for guessable credentials.
What if I forget the password?
The document cannot be recovered. Store the password somewhere reliable before you send the file.
Is my password sent anywhere?
No. Encryption runs in your browser and the password never leaves your device.