Protect PDF, free, no upload

Password protect a PDF free with AES-256 encryption, and choose to block editing, copying or printing.

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You have used your 3 free conversions.

Pick how to keep going. Whatever you choose, your files stay on your device.

Free for life

The Filo app

No credits, no daily limit, no Filo mark. Scan with your camera, and many tools work offline.

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4.8 rating · 100K+ downloads

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Web plan

Renews automatically until you cancel. Cancel anytime from your account. Your credits last until the end of the period you paid for. Unused credits do not carry over. Compare all plans

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Drop PDF files anywhere on this pagebrowse, or paste with ⌘V · one file

No sign-up · Small Filo mark on free files

Your file stays on your device
Works in any current browser
No sign-up, no email
4.8 rating · 100K+ downloads

Protect PDF: how it works

You are about to email a payslip, a medical letter or a signed contract, and anyone who gets the attachment, or the forwarded copy, can open it. You want it to ask for a password first, or to stop it being edited, copied or printed.

Step 1: Open the PDF
Select the document you want to lock.
Step 2: Choose a password or restrictions
Type a password twice, tick what to block (editing, copying, printing), or both. Share the password separately from the file.
Step 3: Download
Save a new PDF, encrypted with AES-256, with your password and restrictions.

Filo vs iLovePDF and Smallpdf

Full comparisons →

Free plans of Filo, iLovePDF and Smallpdf compared
	Filo	iLovePDF	Smallpdf
Where your file goes	Stays in your browser, not uploaded	Processed on its servers, deleted within two hours	Uploaded to its servers, deleted after one hour
Free use without an account	Yes, 3 free conversions in total	Yes, with limited processing	Yes, usage limits may apply
Phone app	Free for life, with no daily limit	Free download with limited daily tasks · Premium for more	Free within a daily task limit · Pro for more
Paid plan	Optional on the web · the app is free for life	Premium from US$4 a month, billed yearly, or US$7 monthly	Pro subscription with a 7-day free trial

Based on each service's public free plan, checked November 2026.

Sources

iLovePDF security: Files processed on the platform are automatically and permanently deleted within two hours of being processed.
iLovePDF pricing: Free plan: limited document processing and limited batch processing. Premium: US$4 a month billed annually (US$47 a year) or US$7 billed monthly.
iLovePDF terms: Free Account as an unregistered user; Premium only as a registered user.
iLovePDF on the App Store: Free with in-app purchases (Premium monthly and yearly); the developer states free users get limited daily tasks in the app.
Smallpdf Compress PDF: Files are deleted automatically after one hour; try it for free with no sign-up; usage limits may apply; iOS and Android apps.
Smallpdf on the App Store: Free with in-app purchases; free within a daily task limit; Smallpdf Pro subscription with a free 7-day trial.

Protect PDF, answered

All FAQs →

How strong is the protection?

The PDF is encrypted with AES-256, the strongest standard PDF encryption, which Adobe Acrobat, Preview, Chrome and current phone readers all open. A long password that isn't a word or a date matters as much as the cipher.

What if I forget the password?

Nobody can open the protected copy without it, and Filo doesn't keep it. Keep your original unprotected file, or store the password somewhere safe.

Can I stop people editing, copying or printing my PDF?

Yes. Tick Block editing, Block copying text and images, or Block printing (or allow low-quality printing only). You can add restrictions without a password, so the PDF still opens for anyone but limits what they can do. Most PDF readers honour these restrictions, but some apps ignore them, so for private documents also set a password. Screen readers can still read the text.

Do I need the app to use this tool?

This tool works entirely in your browser. Your file is not uploaded, and no account is needed. On the web you get 3 free conversions; the Filo app is free for life, with no daily limit.

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