How to password-protect a PDF and share it
To protect a PDF, use the Protect PDF tool, type a strong password and download the file encrypted with AES-256. Send the password to the recipient through a different channel than the file, such as a text message or a phone call.
When it is worth protecting a PDF
Contracts, statements, medical reports, ID documents and business proposals contain information that should not circulate in the open. An email can be forwarded, an attachment can be downloaded on a shared computer, a link can leak. A password adds an extra barrier: even if the file reaches the wrong person, it cannot be opened without the code.
How to put a password on a PDF
With the Protect PDF tool, which uses AES-256 encryption:
- Upload the PDF you want to protect.
- Type the password that will be required to open the document.
- Click to process and download the protected file.
- Open the new file and confirm that the password is requested.
How to choose a strong password
Encryption is only as strong as the password you choose. Some guidelines:
- Use at least 12 characters, combining upper- and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
- Avoid birth dates, family names and sequences like 123456.
- A long, easy-to-remember phrase with a few numbers and symbols is usually better than a short, complicated word.
- Store the password in a password manager. If it is forgotten, the file cannot be opened, and no serious tool can recover it.
How to send the password to the recipient
The most common mistake is sending the protected file and the password in the same message, which defeats the protection. Send the password through a different channel: for example, the file by email and the password by text message or phone.
A password protects who opens it; redaction protects the content
If the goal is to share a document with someone while hiding specific passages, such as ID numbers, addresses or amounts, a password is not the right tool, because whoever gets the password sees everything. In that case use Redact PDF, which truly removes the text in the marked areas instead of just covering it with a black rectangle.
Sharing by link
To send a large file without attaching it, Share PDF creates a temporary link that expires in about 1 hour. If the document is sensitive, protect it with a password before creating the link: anyone who gets the address will still need the password to open it.
Removing the protection
When the password is no longer needed, for example to merge the file with others, compress it or archive it, use Unlock PDF. You must enter the current password: the tool does not crack unknown passwords and is meant for people with legitimate access to the document.
Frequently asked questions
What encryption does Protect PDF use?
AES-256, the strongest standard supported by PDF readers. Without the password, the content of the file cannot be opened.
I forgot the PDF password. Can it be recovered?
No. Unlock PDF requires the current password and does not crack unknown passwords. That is why you should keep the password in a password manager.
Are a password and redaction the same thing?
No. A password stops people who do not know it from opening the file; redaction, done with Redact PDF, permanently removes sensitive passages so nobody can see them, even with access to the document.