Protect PDF
Lock your PDFs with a password. AES-256, and the password is never stored.
or drop your files anywhere on this page
PDF · up to 20 MB
How to password protect a PDF
Password protect a PDF online for free and make sure only the people you choose can open it. OrbitexPDF encrypts the whole document with AES-256, the strongest encryption PDF readers support, and adds an open password that every reader - Adobe Acrobat, browsers, phones - asks for before showing a page. Lock a PDF in seconds with no account and no watermark, and the file you uploaded is deleted as soon as you have the protected copy. On the free plan you can protect up to two PDFs at a time with one password.
Select your PDFs
Click Select PDF files, or drop one or two PDFs anywhere on the page. The round button with the count on it adds more.
Choose a password
Type it twice, with the eye button to check what you typed. Use something long that nobody could guess from the document or from knowing you; the meter under the fields rates its length and variety. One password opens every file in the task.
Protect PDF
Press Protect PDF. Each document is encrypted with AES-256 and the password is not stored anywhere.
Download and share
Save the locked PDF, or the ZIP when there is more than one, and send the password separately - by message or phone, not in the same email.
Why encrypt PDF files with OrbitexPDF
AES-256 PDF encryption
The whole file is encrypted, not just hidden behind a prompt, so the content cannot be read without the password.
Opens everywhere
Every modern PDF reader supports AES-256, including browsers and phone apps. The recipient types the password once and reads normally.
Nothing kept on our side
We never store your password and delete the uploaded file after download, so there is no copy of the document or the key with us.
Free, no sign-up
Add a password to a PDF online free, with no account and no watermark.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add a password to a PDF?
Select the PDF, type the password twice, and press Protect PDF. Download the protected file; anyone who opens it will be asked for that password.
Can I protect several PDFs at once?
Yes. The free plan takes two files in one task and Pro takes twenty. One password is used for all of them, and they come back together as a ZIP.
What happens if I forget the password?
The file cannot be opened - not by us either, because the password is not stored anywhere. Keep a copy of the original or write the password down before you protect it.
Can this tool remove a password from a PDF?
No. Protect PDF only adds a password. To remove one you know, open the PDF with it in your reader and save or print an unprotected copy.
How strong is PDF password protection?
AES-256 encryption is effectively unbreakable with a good password. The weak point is the password itself, so make it long and do not send it with the file.
Does a password stop people copying or printing?
Once someone has opened the file with the password, they can read, copy and print it. An open password controls who can open the document, not what they do after.