How to password protect a PDF

A password-protected PDF can require a password before the document opens.

Use a strong password

Choose a long, unique password that is not reused for another account or service.

Encrypt the PDF

PDF Forge uses qpdf WebAssembly to perform PDF encryption in the browser. The password is supplied to the local processing engine and is not uploaded as a document-processing request.

Keep a recovery copy

If you forget the password, a password-protected PDF may become inaccessible. Keep an authorized unprotected copy in a secure location when appropriate.