How to Password-Protect or Unlock a PDF

A password is the simplest way to keep a PDF private in transit: a payslip emailed to an accountant, a contract shared over chat, a report on a shared drive. PDFkitt adds the password on your device when you download, and can also open a protected file you know the password for and save an unlocked copy. Because nothing is uploaded, neither the file nor the password is ever sent over the internet.

Add a password to a PDF

1. Open the PDF. Drop it onto the upload card on the home page. Make any edits you want first; the password is applied to the final file.
2. Click Download. The download dialog opens.
3. Type a password. Use the Password (optional) field. Click the eye icon to check what you typed. Choose something long; a short sentence is easier to remember and harder to guess than a word with numbers.
4. Click Download PDF. The file is encrypted on your device and saved to your downloads folder. Anyone opening it, in any PDF reader, will be asked for the password.

Remove a password from a PDF

1. Open the protected PDF. The editor asks for the password before it can read the file. Enter it; the file is decrypted in your browser.
2. Edit if you like. Or do nothing; opening is enough.
3. Click Download and leave the password field empty. A note in the dialog reminds you that the download will be unlocked.
4. Click Download PDF. The saved copy opens without a password. The original file on your device is untouched.

Change a password

Open the file with the old password, then download it with the new password typed into the download dialog.

Tips

• Send the password separately. Emailing a protected PDF and its password in the same message defeats the purpose. Use a different channel, such as a text message or a phone call.
• Password vs. permissions. The editor sets an open password: the file cannot be viewed at all without it. It does not set the separate “owner” permissions that some tools use to forbid printing or copying while still allowing viewing, and it does not honour such restrictions on files you open with the correct password.
• Forms stay fillable. Adding a password does not flatten form fields; the recipient can still fill them in after unlocking.
• Only open files you are allowed to open. Removing a password from a document you are not authorised to change may break the law or a contract. See the terms of service.

Frequently asked

Which encryption is used?

Standard PDF encryption as implemented by the pdf-lib library, which every mainstream PDF reader supports. The strength of the protection depends far more on the length of your password than on the algorithm.

Can I protect only some pages?

Encryption applies to the whole file. Extract the sensitive pages into their own PDF and protect that; see splitting and extracting pages.

Does the password stay in my browser?

The password you type to open a file is used to decrypt it and is kept only for that session, in memory. It is not stored, and it is never transmitted.