Protect PDF

Protect PDF with Password

Add 256-bit AES password protection to any PDF. Free, instant, and 100% private. Files never leave your device.

🔒 Files never uploaded⚡ Instant processing♾️ Free forever✓ No sign up
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256-bit AES encryption. Your file and password never leave your device.

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Drop your PDF here or click to browse

or click the button below to browse your files

💡 Use at least 8 characters with letters, numbers, and symbols for best security.

Frequently asked questions

Is password protecting a PDF on PDFcraft really free?+
Yes, completely free. No hidden fees, no premium plan needed. All tools on PDFcraft are free forever with no limits.
Are my files safe when I add a password?+
Absolutely. PDFcraft processes files entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. Your PDF files never leave your device and are never uploaded to any server.
What type of encryption does PDFcraft use?+
PDFcraft uses 256-bit AES encryption via QPDF WebAssembly — military-grade security used by banks and governments worldwide.
Can I remove the password later?+
Yes. Use PDFcraft's Unlock PDF tool to remove the password. You will need to enter the current password to do so.
What happens if I forget the password?+
Unfortunately there is no way to recover a forgotten PDF password. Always store your passwords safely in a password manager before protecting a document.
Does it work on iPhone and Android?+
Yes. PDFcraft works on any device with a modern browser including iPhone Safari and Android Chrome.

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Protect PDF with Password Online — Free

PDFcraft adds 256-bit AES password protection to any PDF for free — entirely in your browser. Your file and your password never leave your device. No sign up, no uploads, military-grade encryption.

What does the Protect PDF tool do?

The free PDF password protection tool encrypts your PDF document using 256-bit AES encryption — the same standard used by banks, governments, and military organizations worldwide. Once protected, anyone who tries to open the PDF will be asked for the password before any content is displayed. The encryption and protection process runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly technology — your file and password never get sent to any server.

How to password protect a PDF — step by step

  1. Click Select File and upload your PDF
  2. Enter a strong password — use 8+ characters with letters, numbers, and symbols
  3. Confirm the password
  4. Click Protect PDF
  5. Download the password-protected PDF
  6. Share the password through a separate channel from the file

Why protect PDFs with a password?

Is PDFcraft safe for protecting confidential documents?

PDFcraft is the safest free option for password protecting PDFs. Unlike other tools that upload your file to their servers for processing, PDFcraft uses WebAssembly to encrypt everything locally in your browser. Your PDF and your chosen password never leave your device — not even for a millisecond. This makes PDFcraft suitable for the most sensitive documents.

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