PaperHeroHow it works
- Choose the PDF you want to protect.
- Set a password and type it a second time to be sure.
- Start the encryption.
- Download the protected PDF and pass the password on separately from the file.
Password-protect a PDF: real encryption, not a polite notice
Some services only set a flag that well-behaved programs respect and everything else ignores. If you want to encrypt a PDF, this tool gives you real encryption as defined by the current PDF standard: the contents are genuinely scrambled and unreadable without the password. Free, no sign-up, and with a password only you know.
Protect a PDF with a password without handing it over
Uploading a confidential file to a stranger in order to protect it is a contradiction in terms. Here the encryption happens entirely in your browser: neither the PDF nor the password is transmitted. Send the protected file by email and the password by another route - a phone call or a text message - and an intercepted attachment is worth nothing to anybody.
And where does the finished PDF go?
PaperHero stores it encrypted in Germany, reads the text and finds it again when you need it. 30 days for €1, then €5.99 per month - cancel monthly.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I forget the password?
Then the file is gone. The password is the key and it is stored nowhere - there is no back door and no recovery, not even by us. Keep it somewhere safe, ideally in a password manager.
How strong is the encryption?
It uses the encryption the current PDF standard specifies. How safe the file really is depends mostly on your password: a long passphrase made of several words beats a short one by a wide margin.
Can anyone see my password?
No. Both the encryption and the password entry happen entirely in your browser. Neither the PDF nor the password is transmitted or stored.