Password-Protect PDFs on Windows: A Step-by-Step Guide

This post shows students and new users steps to password-protect PDFs and encrypt documents using Windows. By default, there are no out-of-the-box options to password-protect PDF documents in Windows.

However, there are multiple tools and options available to users to protect PDF documents in Windows, and one such tool is PDFEncrypt.

PDFEncrypt is a free, open-source native Windows app that allows you to password-protect (encrypt) PDF files for free without purchasing expensive software.

The content becomes unreadable without the password when you use PDFEncrypt to encrypt your PDF documents. Only a user with the correct password can decrypt and read the content.

Below is how to protect PDF documents with a password in Windows using PDFEncrypt.

How to password-protect PDF documents in Windows using PDFEncrypt

As mentioned above, By default, there are no out-of-the-box options to password-protect PDF documents in Windows.

However, using PDFEncrypt, one can password-protect (encrypt) PDF files for free without purchasing expensive software.

First, download PDFEncrypt using the link below. You can also use the portable version (without installing) it.

Whether you use a full or portable version, run the program once installed or downloaded, and select the document you want to password-protect.

• Choose the file
• Choose the destination after the file is encrypted
• Generate or type a password to open and read the content
• Click Encrypt button

To encrypt with additional options, click on Settings. Then choose what other restrictions to include with the documents.

After creating the file, a new password-protected (encrypted) version will be saved at the destination provided without changing the original version.

You can send the encrypted version via email or other means, knowing that only a person with the correct password will be able to read it.

That should do it!

Conclusion:

• PDFEncrypt is a convenient and cost-effective tool for password-protecting and encrypting PDF documents on Windows.
• With PDFEncrypt, users can ensure the security and privacy of their sensitive information without purchasing expensive software.
• The easy-to-use interface and additional options make PDFEncrypt a versatile solution for protecting PDF files.
• By following the simple steps outlined above, users can encrypt their PDFs and share them securely, knowing that only authorized individuals can access the content.