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Protect PDF

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Encrypt PDF documents free of charge

or drag & drop

Reliable online service

When you password protect PDF with our toolkit, you can be certain that all uploaded data is safe. We won't share anything with third-party websites or store your files for longer than 2 hours.

Lock PDF docs online

Simply upload a PDF from your phone, PC, laptop, tablet, or any other gadget to add password to PDF file. No matter which OS you are on either.

Encrypt PDF with ease

We created this tool with an intuitive interface for you to get access to the easiest way to secure PDF. Save time protecting your intellectual property from unauthorized access.

Triple verify the protection

It is recommended that your password should contain at least 6 symbols, both Latin symbols with capital letters and numbers. We highly recommend not to use the same password for different docs.

How to lock a PDF for free

To password protect PDF at no cost, use our "Protect PDF" tool and get the output file in a matter of seconds. You won’t see annoying ads even given the fact that our service is free.

Multiple sharing options

After adding password to PDF document, you can download it to your device, upload it to Google Drive or Dropbox, or create and share a download link with 7 days validity.
"Protect PDF" rating: 
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How to password protect a PDF?

1Add a PDF file in any convenient way: from a device via “Add file” button, or using the drag-and-drop mechanism. As stated above, cloud storage integration is supported, too.
2Type in the password of your choice and then re-enter it to avoid mistypes.
3Click ‘Protect PDF’ to encrypt PDF document.
4Save the protected PDF.

FAQ: How to Protect PDF

How long will a 'Share' link be available?
According to our Privacy Policy, the generated 'Share' URL is available for 7 days. After that, all data is automatically deleted from all our servers. If you don't create a 'Share' link, the file will only be available for 2 hours after you lock PDF. Make sure to download it before it expires.
After I password protect PDF, I might need to further edit it. How do I do it?
Worries aside. With PDF Candy, you can simply upload a PDF from the download page to the "Edit PDF" tool, enter the password, and further edit PDF as you need.
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