Password protect a PDF
Encrypt a PDF so it can only be opened with your password. Encryption runs on your device, so neither the document nor the password is ever sent anywhere.
or drop it here
Files never leave your device · Free, no sign-up · No watermark
How to password protect a PDF
- Choose or drop the PDF.
- Type a password and confirm it. Optionally prevent printing or copying text.
- Select Protect PDF and download the encrypted file.
Strong, standard encryption
Files are encrypted with AES-256, the strongest encryption in the PDF standard (PDF 2.0, security handler revision 6). Acrobat, Preview, Chrome, Edge and Firefox can all open them with the password.
Choose a password you will remember
There is no way to recover a forgotten password, not even for us, because we never see it. Use a long passphrase and keep it in a password manager.
Questions about Protect PDF
Are my files uploaded when I protect a PDF?
No. Scissor PDF runs a PDF engine written in Rust and compiled to WebAssembly inside your browser tab. Your files are read from your disk into the page's memory, processed there and saved back to your device. The site has no upload endpoint, and its Content Security Policy blocks the page from sending data to any other server.
What do the print and copy options do?
They set permission flags that well-behaved PDF readers respect after the document is opened. They are restrictions, not encryption of their own, so treat the open password as the real protection.
Can I remove the password later?
Yes, with Unlock PDF, as long as you know the password.
Is it free? Do I need an account?
It is free, with no account, no daily task limit and no watermark added to your documents. Because the work happens on your own computer, there is no server cost per file for us to recover.