PDFMasterProtect PDF
Lock a PDF with a password or block editing, copying and printing.
3 free files a day · No sign-up · No ads
Frequently asked questions
How do I password protect a PDF online for free?
Upload your PDF to Protect PDF, type the password readers will need to open it, tick any permissions you want to block and press Run. The file is encrypted on our servers and you get back a protected copy that opens only with that password in any PDF viewer, on desktop or phone. It is free for 3 files a day, with no account and no ads.
How do I protect a PDF from editing and copying?
In Protect PDF, choose the permissions to block: prevent editing, prevent copying text and images, and prevent printing. These owner restrictions are written into the PDF and respected by desktop and mobile readers, and you can combine them with an open password or use them on their own. Owner restrictions are a lock on the reader rather than encryption of the content, so add an open password whenever the file is confidential.
Can I make a PDF read-only so nobody can print or change it?
Yes. Block editing, copying and printing in the permissions section and the result behaves as read-only: readers can view the pages, but the edit, copy and print commands are disabled. If you also set an open password, only people who know it can view the file at all.
What is the difference between the open password and the permissions?
The open password is required to see the document at all; without it the file cannot be opened. Permissions are owner restrictions that let anyone open the file but stop them from editing, copying or printing it. You can set either one or both in the same job.
Can someone still open my protected PDF without the password?
Not without the open password: the file is encrypted, so its pages are unreadable until the correct password is entered. Permission-only restrictions are weaker, because anyone who can open the file could remove them with an unlock tool. Use a long password you have not used elsewhere and share it through a different channel than the file itself.
What happens if I forget the password I set?
PDFMaster cannot recover or reset it: the password is never stored, and the encrypted file cannot be opened without it. Keep the original, unprotected copy somewhere safe and save the password in your password manager before you send the protected file.
Is it safe to upload a confidential PDF to protect it?
Your file and password travel over HTTPS, the encryption runs on our servers, and both the original and the protected copy are deleted as soon as the job finishes. We do not read, index or share your documents, and nothing is kept once you have downloaded the result. There are no ads on the page either.
Do I need an account, and how many PDFs can I protect per day?
No account is needed: open the tool, upload and download. Everyone gets 3 files a day for free and the counter resets daily; Premium covers heavier use across the whole toolbox. It works the same on a phone, a tablet or a desktop browser.