Protect PDF
Encrypt a PDF with AES-256. One password opens the file; an optional second, owner password controls whether the recipient can print, copy, edit or assemble it. Encryption happens in this tab, so neither the document nor the password is ever uploaded.
How it works
- 1
Set the passwords
Choose an open password, plus a different owner password if the restrictions should bind the person you send it to.
- 2
Choose permissions
Decide what the file may allow: printing, copying, editing, annotation, form filling, accessibility extraction and page assembly.
- 3
Encrypt and save
Save the protected copy. Keep the password safe — PDF Adjutor stores no copy and cannot recover it.
Your privacy is the point
This tool runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly and Canvas. Your file is never uploaded to a server, never stored and never seen by anyone but you.
Frequently asked questions
Can a forgotten password be recovered?+
No. The file is encrypted on your device with AES-256; there is no backdoor, no recovery key, and no server-side copy to reset. Without the password the content is permanently unreadable.
Do the permission checkboxes stop copying?+
Only in viewers that honour them. The flags are part of the encrypted file, but anyone who can open it can use a reader that ignores them or strip the encryption. If the content itself must not be read, use the Redact tool instead.
What is the difference between the two passwords?+
The open password is required to view the document and carries the permissions. The owner password grants full control, including removing those restrictions. If you leave it empty it defaults to the open password — convenient, but then whoever opens the file can lift the limits.
Related tools
All toolsEverything runs locally. No uploads, no server-side copies.