Free PDF Security Tools

Free PDF Security Tools

Protect a PDF with an open password or create an unlocked copy of a PDF when you know its password.

Add password-based encryption to a PDF with a document-open password.
Use at least 8 characters. Keep this password safe; it cannot be recovered if lost.
Important: This tool applies or removes PDF encryption without rasterizing pages, so text, links, forms, bookmarks, and most document structure can be preserved. Any change to a digitally signed PDF may invalidate its signatures. Permission restrictions depend on the PDF reader and cannot prevent screenshots or all forms of copying. Your PDF is processed locally in your browser and is not uploaded to a conversion server.

About Free PDF Security Tools

Free PDF Security Tools helps you add password protection to a PDF or create an unlocked copy when you already know the document password. A document-open password can help prevent casual access to private reports, invoices, application forms, study materials, and other files. When protecting a PDF, choose a strong password that is difficult to guess and share it with intended recipients through a separate, trusted channel.

Password protection can help prevent casual access to private reports, invoices, application forms, study materials, and other files. Anyone who can view a document may still be able to photograph or otherwise reproduce its contents, so use suitable safeguards for highly sensitive information.

This browser-based tool uses a structure-preserving PDF engine to apply or remove encryption directly, rather than converting pages into images. This helps retain selectable and searchable text, hyperlinks, interactive forms, bookmarks, page content, and document metadata. PDF encryption updates may still rewrite internal PDF objects, and digital signatures can become invalid after any modification. For signed or legally sensitive documents, keep an untouched original and verify the output in a trusted PDF reader.

How to Protect a PDF with a Password

  1. Choose Protect PDF with Password and upload a PDF file.
  2. Enter a strong PDF open password.
  3. Click Protect PDF and wait while the PDF is encrypted locally in your browser.
  4. Download the protected PDF and test it by opening it in a PDF reader. Confirm that the password is required.
  5. Store the password securely and send it separately from the protected PDF.

How to Remove a PDF Password

  1. Choose Remove Password from PDF.
  2. Upload a PDF for which you know the current open password.
  3. Enter the existing password and click Remove Password.
  4. Download the unlocked PDF and check that it opens correctly before sharing it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does password protection fully secure my PDF?

A strong open password adds a meaningful barrier against casual access, but no single measure guarantees complete security. Use a strong, unique password and share it separately from the file. Consider the sensitivity of the document and your organization's security requirements.

Can I set a separate owner password?

This simplified tool uses the PDF open password for protection and does not provide a separate owner-password field. Access restrictions depend on the PDF reader and should not be treated as an absolute prevention method.

Can I unlock a PDF without knowing its password?

No. This tool requires the existing document-open password to recreate a password-protected PDF. Only work with documents you own or are authorized to modify.

Will the protected PDF keep selectable text?

Yes. The tool encrypts the PDF without recreating pages as images, so selectable text, search, links, forms, bookmarks, and most document structure should remain. Digital signatures may be invalidated when a PDF is modified.

Are my files uploaded to a server?

The selected PDF is processed locally in your browser. The page loads its PDF libraries from online content-delivery networks, but the PDF document itself is not sent by this page to a conversion server.

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