How do you password-protect a PDF?

The password tool applies AES-256 encryption to the file in your browser, so a compatible reader asks for the password before it will open. It is a genuine encryption step, not a visual lock — but it is not a way to recover or bypass a password you have forgotten.

Is redacting a PDF permanent?

The redactor removes the content you mark rather than drawing a box over it, so once a redaction is applied and the file is downloaded it cannot be recovered. Because it is permanent, review every marked area before applying and keep your unredacted original stored separately.

Can you remove a password from a PDF you are allowed to open?

Yes. If you know the password and are authorised to remove it, the unlock tool clears it and produces an unprotected copy. It cannot crack or guess an unknown password.

Protect and sign

Protect and sign PDF tools

Secure and authenticate documents: add visual e-signatures, password protect with AES-256, unlock authorized files, and flatten forms.

These tools cover a document's security and appearance rather than its content — add a visual signature, encrypt it with a password, remove a password you're authorized to clear, cover sensitive areas before sharing, brand every page with a watermark, make interactive elements permanent, repair a damaged file structure, or strip hidden metadata before it leaves your hands. None of them recover a forgotten password or perform certificate-based verification — check each tool's own page for exactly what it does and doesn't cover.

Local

PDF Signer

Place a typed, drawn, or uploaded signature on a PDF

Open tool

Local

PDF Password Lock

Encrypt your PDF with AES-256 password protection

Open tool

Local

Unlock PDF

Remove a known password from an authorized PDF

Open tool

Local

PDF Redactor

Place opaque cover boxes over selected PDF areas

Open tool

Local

PDF Watermark

Add text or image watermarks to every page

Open tool

Local

Flatten PDF

Make PDF forms and annotations permanent

Open tool

Local

Remove PDF Metadata

Strip hidden properties and identifiers from a PDF

Open tool

Local

Repair PDF

Recover and rebuild a damaged PDF structure

Open tool

Common protect and sign scenarios

Related protect and sign how-to guides

Protect and sign PDF tools — questions

How do you password-protect a PDF?: The password tool applies AES-256 encryption to the file in your browser, so a compatible reader asks for the password before it will open. It is a genuine encryption step, not a visual lock — but it is not a way to recover or bypass a password you have forgotten.
Is redacting a PDF permanent?: The redactor removes the content you mark rather than drawing a box over it, so once a redaction is applied and the file is downloaded it cannot be recovered. Because it is permanent, review every marked area before applying and keep your unredacted original stored separately.
Can you remove a password from a PDF you are allowed to open?: Yes. If you know the password and are authorised to remove it, the unlock tool clears it and produces an unprotected copy. It cannot crack or guess an unknown password.

Browse other PDF tool categories

Ready to try it yourself?

Every core tool runs free in your browser, no account required.

Open the free PDF editor