Protect PDF
Encrypt your PDF with a password — real AES-256.
or drop a PDF here
PDF · up to 15 MB free
🛡 Private to you · files are deleted after 60 minutes
- Genuine encryption
- Works in every viewer
- Safe to email
- How we protect your files
To password-protect a PDF, upload it, type the password and download the encrypted copy. PDFVelvet uses real AES-256 encryption — the standard banks use — so the file is unreadable without the password in any PDF viewer.
How it works
- 1
Add your PDF
Drop the file and choose a strong password.
- 2
It is encrypted
The document is sealed with AES-256 — the standard banks and governments use.
- 3
Download and share
Only people who know the password can open the file, anywhere, in any viewer.
Genuine encryption
AES-256 protects the file itself — not just a lock screen — so the content is unreadable without the password.
Works in every viewer
Standard PDF encryption means Adobe Reader, browsers and phones all prompt for the password correctly.
Safe to email
Send sensitive contracts and records over email knowing interception doesn't expose the content.
Frequently asked questions
How strong is the protection?
Files are encrypted with AES-256, the current industry standard; a strong password makes brute force impractical.
What if I forget the password?
There is no backdoor — that's the point of real encryption. Store the password somewhere safe.
Do you keep my password?
No. The password is used to encrypt the file and never stored; the file itself is deleted after 60 minutes.
Can recipients open it on a phone?
Yes — any standard PDF viewer prompts for the password and opens it normally.
Is online PDF password protection safe?
The file travels over an encrypted connection, is encrypted with AES-256, and both your upload and the password are deleted from the server — the password is erased the moment the task finishes.
More PDF tools
Unlock PDF
Remove a password you know for good — no more retyping.
Redact PDF
Permanently black out sensitive content — truly removed, not hidden.
Compress PDF
Shrink file size while keeping quality — right in your browser, no signup needed.
Merge PDF
Combine several PDFs into one file — free, in your browser.
Split PDF
Cut a PDF into separate files — pick the exact pages visually.
PDF to Word
Turn a PDF into an editable Word document — layout, tables and all.