badloHow to Password Protect a PDF
Updated
Payslips, CVs and contracts often travel by email, where they can be forwarded or opened by the wrong person. A password makes sure that a file can't be read without it.
How to add a password
Upload your file to Protect PDF, type a password and download the new copy. The file is encrypted with AES-256, and any PDF reader will ask for the password when opening it. Keep your password safe, as a lost one can't be recovered.
Choosing a good password
- Use three or four unrelated words, which is long and easy to remember.
- Avoid names, birthdays, phone numbers and CNIC digits.
- Don't reuse your email or bank password.
Sharing it safely
Don't put the password in the same email as the file. Send it by a different route, such as a phone call or a message. This way, someone who gets into the email can't open the document.
How to remove a password you know
If typing a password each time is a nuisance, or another tool won't accept the file, use Unlock PDF. You need the correct password, as the tool doesn't guess or crack it. Bank statements often use part of your account number or date of birth, and the bank's email usually explains the format.
What a password won't do
Anyone with the password can read, print and forward the whole file. To share a document without certain details, take them out first with Redact PDF, and to discourage copying, add a watermark.
