File Processing Tool
Transform your files with our professional tools. Fast, secure, and completely free.
Why choose our Protect PDF tool?
Advanced document protection
Apply strong encryption and password requirements to ensure only authorized individuals can access your sensitive PDF files.
Customizable access controls
Define exactly what users can do with your documents by setting granular permissions for printing, content copying, and editing.
Multi-file security
Protect multiple documents simultaneously with consistent security settings and download them individually or as a convenient ZIP package.
How it works — secure your PDFs in three simple steps
Upload your document
Choose a PDF file from your device or simply drag and drop it into the designated upload area.
Create security settings
Generate a strong password and customize permission controls to manage what others can do with your document.
Secure and download
Review your security configuration and download your password-protected document ready for safe distribution.
Popular reasons to secure PDF files
Sensitive information protection
Safeguard confidential business documents like contracts, financial statements, and personnel records from unauthorized access.
Academic & research papers
Prevent unauthorized copying of academic work and research documents while maintaining content integrity and proper attribution.
Financial document security
Protect invoices, price quotes, and financial proposals from unauthorized modifications that could alter important terms or figures.
Digital content protection
Control distribution of digital publications, training materials, and premium content by limiting unauthorized reproduction or printing.
Team file sharing
Restrict document access to specific team members while enabling secure collaboration on confidential projects and sensitive information.
Long-term record security
Apply encryption to historical documents, archived records, and legacy information to maintain security throughout their retention period.
Related PDF tools
Expert advice for maximum document security
Use strong passwords
Create complex passwords using a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters to significantly increase security strength.
Keep your password safe
Use a password manager or secure storage method for your PDF passwords since they cannot be recovered if forgotten.
Configure proper permissions
Consider your document's purpose and intended audience when determining which actions (printing, copying, editing) should be permitted or restricted.
Use bulk encryption
Save time by applying identical security settings to multiple documents simultaneously when working with related files or large collections.
Test your protected file
Always verify that your newly secured document opens correctly with the password and that all permission restrictions function as intended.
Maintain original versions
Store the unprotected original files in a secure location to ensure you can make future changes or apply different security settings if needed.
Technical specifications
Supported encryption methods, input/output behavior and limits.
File format support
Input formats
- • PDF (Portable Document Format)
- • Scanned images embedded in PDFs
- • Existing password-protected PDFs must be unlocked first
- • Batch jobs: multiple files with shared protection rules
Output
- • Encrypted PDF(s) exported as new files (originals preserved)
- • Option to ZIP multiple outputs for batch jobs
- • Protection report summarizing applied restrictions
- • Preserve bookmarks and metadata where feasible
Processing time
- • Typical: under 20 seconds for single documents
- • Large batches may take longer and be queued
- • Encryption is applied instantly after upload
- • Client-side preparation used where possible to enhance security
Security & Infrastructure
Data Security
- • TLS 1.3 encryption in transit
- • AES-256 encryption at rest
- • Zero-knowledge processing
- • GDPR & CCPA compliant
- • No file content logging
File Management
- • Automatic deletion after 1 hour
- • Secure server processing
- • No permanent storage
- • Memory-only processing
- • Multi-region redundancy
Infrastructure
- • Cloud-based processing
- • Auto-scaling servers
- • Global CDN delivery
- • 99.9% uptime guarantee
- • 24/7 monitoring
Frequently asked questions
How do user and owner passwords differ?
The user password controls who can open and view the document, while the owner password determines who can change security settings or override restrictions on printing, editing, and copying.
Can I remove protection later?
Yes, if you have the correct password, you can use our unlock tool to remove protection or modify security settings on your secured documents.
Does protection affect file size?
The file size usually stays nearly identical to the original since encryption only adds a small amount of metadata rather than changing the actual content.
Can I still share protected files?
Absolutely. You can share protected files through email or any file-sharing service, and recipients will simply need the password to access them while still being subject to any permissions you've set.
What type of encryption is used?
We implement industry-standard AES encryption (128-bit or 256-bit) to protect your documents, the same security technology used by banks and government agencies worldwide.
Can I apply different passwords to multiple files?
Yes, you can either apply a single password to multiple documents at once for consistency, or process each document separately with unique passwords for maximum security.
Is this tool secure for sensitive documents?
Our service uses secure SSL/TLS connections for all file transfers and automatically deletes your documents after processing. For extremely sensitive information, consider using offline encryption tools.
What happens if I forget the password?
For security reasons, we cannot recover forgotten passwords. We strongly recommend using a password manager to securely store all your document passwords.