Protect PDF guide

How to password protect a PDF before sharing it.

Use password protection when the file should open only for people who know the password and you want a simple browser-first workflow.

How it works

Step-by-step guide

Start with the file that should require a password before opening.

Choose the open password carefully and confirm it before export.

Save the new protected file and keep the original if you still need an unprotected copy.

Make sure the document is final enough, because password protection is usually one of the last steps before sharing.

Also decide how the password will be delivered. Sending the protected file and the password in the same message weakens the point of the protection.

Need the quick version?

Read the short guide first, then open the matching tool when you are ready to work on the file.

Will the protected PDF require the password to open?

Yes. The point of this workflow is to create a file that asks for the password before normal access.

What if I forget the password?

Keep it somewhere safe before you share the file. The browser workflow does not keep a recoverable copy of that password for you.

Related tools

Apply a password to a PDF without routing the file through a server.

Remove password protection from a PDF when you already know the password.

Update document info fields like title, author, subject, and keywords.

Related guides

Use unlock when the document is protected but you need a normal working copy for merging, extraction, or another follow-up task.

Use metadata editing to clean document properties, add clearer ownership info, or remove stale labels before the final handoff.