---
title: "Password protect a PDF for free, offline | Paperwing"
description: "Add a password and AES encryption to a PDF, or set permissions, on Windows or Mac with Paperwing, a free desktop app. Nothing is uploaded."
url: https://paperwingapp.com/tools/password-protect-pdf/
---

1. [Home](https://paperwingapp.com/)
2. [Tools](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/)
3. Protect PDF

Free tool · Windows and macOS

# Lock a PDF with a password.

Encrypt a PDF so only people with the password can open it, and decide whether they can print, copy or change it.

[Download for Windows](https://github.com/rohanvijaykumar/paperwing/releases/download/v1.2.3/Paperwing-Setup-1.2.3-x64.exe) · [Download for Mac](https://github.com/rohanvijaykumar/paperwing/releases/download/v1.2.3/Paperwing-1.2.3-mac-arm64.dmg) · [Download Paperwing](https://paperwingapp.com/download/)

v1.2.3 · Windows 10 and 11 · 188 MB v1.2.3 · Apple Silicon · 192 MB · [Intel Mac?](https://paperwingapp.com/download/#mac) Free for Windows and macOS · v1.2.3 [Other versions](https://paperwingapp.com/download/)

## How to password protect a PDF with Paperwing

1. Open Paperwing and drop your PDF on the window, or press Ctrl+O (⌘O on a Mac).
2. Open **All tools** and choose **Protect PDF** , or type “protect pdf” in the search box. Shift+Ctrl+P finds any tool from anywhere.
3. Enter a password. Optionally set an owner password and permissions.
4. Run it. The encrypted PDF opens in a new tab.
5. Save it with Shift+Ctrl+S, and send the password separately from the file.

## What you can do

- Encrypt with strong AES encryption
- Set permissions for printing, copying and editing with **Change Permissions**
- Remove a password you know with **Unlock PDF**
- Add a digital signature to show the file hasn’t been changed

## Why do it on your computer

Protecting a file on a website means sending it unencrypted first. Paperwing encrypts it before it ever leaves your computer.

**Paperwing is a free, open-source desktop app** for Windows and macOS with more than 100 PDF tools. It works offline, there’s no account, and every tool is free. [Download it](https://paperwingapp.com/download/) or [browse all the tools](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/) .

## Questions

### Can Paperwing open a PDF if I forgot the password?

No. **Unlock PDF** removes a password you already know; it doesn’t crack passwords.

## Related tools

[**Redact a PDF** Permanently remove sensitive text and images from a PDF on Windows or Mac with Paperwing, a free desktop app.](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/redact-pdf/) · [**Sign a PDF** Sign PDFs with a drawn, typed or image signature, or a digital certificate, in Paperwing, a free desktop app.](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/sign-pdf/) · [**Compress a PDF** Make PDFs smaller on Windows or Mac with Paperwing, a free desktop app.](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/compress-pdf/) · [**Merge PDFs** Combine several PDFs into one file on Windows or Mac with Paperwing, a free desktop app.](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/merge-pdf/)

## Open your next PDF in Paperwing.

Free for Windows and macOS. No account, no subscription, nothing to sign up for.

[Download for Windows](https://github.com/rohanvijaykumar/paperwing/releases/download/v1.2.3/Paperwing-Setup-1.2.3-x64.exe) · [Download for Mac](https://github.com/rohanvijaykumar/paperwing/releases/download/v1.2.3/Paperwing-1.2.3-mac-arm64.dmg) · [Download Paperwing](https://paperwingapp.com/download/) · [Star on GitHub](https://github.com/rohanvijaykumar/paperwing)

v1.2.3 · Windows 10 and 11 · 188 MB v1.2.3 · Apple Silicon · 192 MB · [Intel Mac?](https://paperwingapp.com/download/#mac) Free for Windows and macOS · v1.2.3 [Other versions](https://paperwingapp.com/download/)