# Password-protect a PDF — encrypt in your browser, no upload

> Encrypt a PDF with a password so only people you share it with can open it, right in your browser. No upload — encryption happens on your device.

Add a password so the PDF can only be opened by someone who knows it. The file is encrypted inside this browser tab, so the unprotected version is never uploaded.

Password protection is the right move before emailing anything sensitive — an offer letter, medical results, financial statements. Even if the message is forwarded or the attachment leaks, the contents stay unreadable without the password.

Choose a password that is hard to guess and share it through a different channel than the file itself; sending both in the same email defeats the purpose. Once applied, every PDF reader will prompt for the password before opening the document.

Protection controls who can open the file, not what they do with the visible content afterward. If you need to permanently remove sensitive parts before sharing, Redact first; to reverse protection on a file you own, use Unlock.

## How to

1. **Add the PDF.** Drop the document you want to protect onto the tool or browse for it.
2. **Set a password.** Choose a strong password that the recipient will use to open the file.
3. **Encrypt.** Apply the password — the PDF's contents are encrypted locally.
4. **Download.** Save the protected PDF and share the password separately from the file.

## FAQ

### What kind of encryption is used?

The PDF is encrypted so it cannot be opened without the password, using the standard PDF encryption that PDF readers understand.

### What happens if I forget the password?

There is no recovery — that is the point of encryption. Keep the password somewhere safe, because nobody, including us, can unlock the file without it.

### Is my file uploaded to protect it?

No. Encryption runs in your browser tab; the original unprotected document never leaves your device.

### How do I remove a password later?

Open the protected file with Unlock and enter the password you set to produce an unprotected copy.


## Related tools

- [Unlock](https://www.safepaper.app/docs/unlock)
- [Redact](https://www.safepaper.app/docs/redact)
- [Sign](https://www.safepaper.app/docs/sign-pdf)
- [Clean](https://www.safepaper.app/docs/clean)

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Canonical HTML: https://www.safepaper.app/docs/protect
Markdown: https://www.safepaper.app/docs/protect.md

There is no upload endpoint — your files are processed in this browser tab. Open your network tab and check.