How to Password Protect a PDF for Free

To put a password on a PDF, open Protect PDF, add the file, type a password twice, and click Protect & download. The PDF is encrypted with AES-256 — the strongest encryption in the PDF standard — so it won't open in any app without the password. You can also choose whether people may print, copy or edit it once it's open.

How to protect a PDF

1. Open Protect PDF and add your PDF.
2. Type a password, then type it again to confirm it.
3. Choose what people who open the file may do: print it, copy its text, or edit it.
4. Click Protect & download. Before the file is handed over, the tool checks that it refuses to open without your password and opens with it.

The protected file is saved with "-protected" in its name. Your original is unchanged.

What the protection does

• The password is required to open the file. Without it, the contents are encrypted gibberish; with it, the PDF opens normally in Adobe Acrobat, Apple Preview, and the viewers built into Chrome, Edge and Firefox.
• AES-256 encryption can't be broken by brute force in any practical time — as long as the password itself is strong. A weak password is the only realistic way in.
• Print, copy and edit limits are honoured by PDF apps such as Acrobat. They're a polite request rather than a lock: the password is what keeps the content private.

Choosing a strong password

Password-cracking software tries millions of guesses per second against short or common passwords. Make it:

• At least 8 characters, ideally 12 or more.
• Not a word, name or date someone could guess — no "Company2026" or a birthday.
• A mix of words, numbers and symbols, or a passphrase of four random words ("lamp-river-cobalt-91").

Sharing the password safely

Encryption is only as good as how you share the password:

• Send it by a different channel from the file. Email the PDF, then text the password, or tell it over the phone.
• Don't put the password in the same email — anyone who gets the email gets both.
• Agree on a password in advance for regular exchanges with an accountant or a client.

Keep a copy of the password

There's no "forgot password" for an encrypted PDF. Nobody — including iPixHub — can open the file or recover the password if you lose it. Store it in a password manager, and keep the unprotected original somewhere safe.

Common uses

• Payslips, bank statements and tax returns sent by email.
• Medical reports and ID scans shared with a doctor, a landlord or an agency.
• Contracts and quotes that shouldn't be forwarded freely.
• Exam papers and answers prepared in advance.

Before you encrypt

• Remove information the recipient shouldn't see at all with Redact PDF — a password protects the file from outsiders, not from the person you send it to.
• Add a CONFIDENTIAL label with Add PDF Watermark if you want the status visible on every page.

Changing or removing the password later

To change the password, open the file with Unlock PDF, then protect the unlocked copy again with the new password. The same tool removes the password if you no longer need it.

Frequently asked questions

Is my password uploaded anywhere?

No. Encryption happens in your browser: neither the PDF nor the password is sent to a server.

Will the recipient need special software?

No. Every current PDF reader supports AES-256 encrypted PDFs; they'll simply be asked for the password.

Can I protect a PDF on my phone?

Yes. It works in Safari and Chrome on phones; the protected file goes to your Downloads folder.