Encrypt and lock your PDF document with a strong password.
Password-protecting a PDF encrypts the file so only people with the correct password can open or access it. This is essential for sharing sensitive documents like contracts, tax forms, medical records, or financial statements. PDFly uses standard PDF encryption — the same algorithm supported by Adobe Acrobat and all major PDF readers worldwide. The encryption happens entirely in your browser; your password and file are never transmitted over the network.
Upload your PDF, set a user password (required to open the file) and optionally an owner password (restricts printing, copying, and editing), and download the encrypted file. The protected PDF behaves like any standard encrypted PDF — recipients open it in their normal PDF reader and enter the password when prompted. You can set both password levels for maximum security control.
Always share the password through a separate communication channel than the PDF itself — don't include the password in the same email as the attachment, as that defeats the purpose. For removing restrictions from a PDF you own and have the password for, use the PDF Unlock tool instead. Remember your password carefully — there is no recovery mechanism for forgotten PDF passwords, and the encryption is strong enough that brute-forcing is impractical for secure passwords.
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