EasyPDFLoad

Password Protect a PDF and Restrict Permissions

Add a password and set permissions to restrict printing, copying, or editing.

Select PDF file

or drop a PDF here

  • Stays on your device
  • No sign-up
  • No watermark

How to password protect a PDF in 3 steps

  1. 1

    Select PDF file

    Click the button or drop the file. It is not uploaded.

  2. 2

    Set a password

    It runs in this tab, on your device.

  3. 3

    Download

    Save the new file. Your original stays as it was.

Often used next

All 26 tools

About this tool

Password protect a PDF: encrypt it with a password and choose exactly what readers are allowed to do: print, copy text, or edit the document. Everything is encrypted locally in your browser using standard PDF encryption.

Limits and edge cases
  • The source file must be unencrypted to begin with — protecting an already password-protected PDF isn't supported; unlock it first if you need to change its password or permissions.
  • Permission restrictions (no printing, no copying, and similar) are enforced by PDF readers that respect them; they're a deterrent for casual use, not an unbreakable technical barrier against a reader that ignores them.
  • Forgetting a password you set yourself means the file can't be recovered here or anywhere else — there's no reset flow, because there's no account or server holding a copy.
  • Very large PDFs (hundreds of megabytes) can take longer to re-save as an encrypted file, since the whole document is processed in your browser's memory rather than on a server.
Password protect a PDF: what a permission restriction actually stops

An open password genuinely blocks anyone without it from viewing the file at all. Permission restrictions: no printing, no copying, no editing, work differently: they're honored by compliant PDF readers, not baked in as an unbreakable technical wall.

RestrictionWhat Adobe Acrobat and most readers doRealistic expectation
Open passwordRefuse to open the file without the correct password.A real barrier: the content is encrypted, not just hidden.
No printingGray out or block the print command in the reader's UI.A deterrent for casual use, not protection against a reader built to ignore it.
No copyingDisable text selection and the copy command.Stops a quick copy-paste; doesn't stop a photo of the screen or OCR on a printout.
No editingLock form fields and page content from modification.Prevents casual edits in a compliant reader, not a guarantee against every tool.
Compared with tools that upload your file

iLovePDF, Smallpdf and PDF24 all offer this kind of job, and the online ones upload your file to their servers to do it. Here the work happens in this tab instead. Read the honest comparisons with iLovePDF, Smallpdf and PDF24, including where they are the better choice, or how to check that a tool does not upload.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between the owner password and the open password?+
The owner password unlocks full access and can change permissions. The open password is required and is needed just to view the document at all. The owner password is optional, under Advanced; if you leave it blank a random one is used, so nobody can change the restrictions (no printing, no copying, and so on) later.
Is my password sent anywhere?+
No. Encryption is performed entirely in your browser using JavaScript — your file and password never leave your device.
Can restrictions be removed later?+
Yes, with the owner password. Anyone without it will be bound by the permissions you set, though PDF permission restrictions are enforced by compliant PDF readers rather than being unbreakable encryption of the content itself.
What encryption standard is used?+
Your PDF is encrypted using standard AES-based PDF encryption, compatible with Adobe Acrobat and other major PDF readers.
Can I protect a PDF that's already password-protected?+
Not directly — this tool expects an unencrypted source file. Use Unlock PDF to remove the existing password first, then protect the unlocked copy with your new password and permissions.
Will the file open without a password prompt?+
No. The password to open the PDF is required, so every PDF reader asks for it before showing the file. Permission restrictions you choose under Advanced apply on top of that.

Related guides

Also on Mac? See our Mac guide.

Ready to start?

Free, no sign-up, nothing uploaded.