Encrypting a PDF file is a practical solution that allows you to secure the data contained in this type of document. Do you store confidential information in PDF format in the cloud, do you want to send it by e-mail or share it on an external drive? To do this without worrying about sensitive data being shared, you can password protect your file. 

Encrypting a PDF file means that a person who wants to access the content of the document will have to enter the password that protects it. This is an effective method to avoid confidential data being intercepted by unauthorized persons. Check out how to encrypt a PDF file with ease.

Free PDF security program: SwifDoo PDF

Download SwifDoo PDF to protect PDF documents with password and restrictions. The program allows you to print, copy and edit PDF file restrictions. This ensures that no third user can open and make changes to the PDF files. Users can also reset PDF password using this program. Work intelligently with all Adobe PDF files while preserving PDF content.

  • Protect any PDF file with any password
  • 100% PDF database security while securing your PDF file
  • Independent use without any complications

If you want to encrypt a PDF file for free, you can use many free programs. One of them is its free trial version. If you want to encrypt a PDF file using it, select the “Encryption”option from the “Protect”menu field. By selecting the “OpenPassword”or the “Permission Password”fields, we can enter a sequence of numbers or digits that will protect all files printed by SwifDoo PDF.

How to encrypt a 7-zip PDF file

Another method to secure a PDF file for free is to use the 7-zip program. This application, available completely free of charge, is intended to compress data – by “packing” them, we can easily send files that are too heavy. At the same time, however, it enables encryption of archives generated with it. 

Just right-click on the PDF you want to assign a password to, then select the 7-ZIP option and then: “Add to archive” In the generated field, in its lower right corner, you will find the “Enter password” option. After accepting the password entered twice with the “OK” button, we receive an encrypted archive with the PDF we are interested in.

If you want to encrypt a PDF document quickly and without having to download additional software, you can also use the tools available online. These are free services that allow you to protect PDF files with a password – you can perform this type of operation in just a few seconds. One of the most popular online PDF encryption applications is a tool provided by Adobe.

All you need to do is select the file you want to protect, send it to the server and enter the password twice. You can download the PDF generated in this way to your computer – to open it, you will have to enter the password. Do you want to send such a prepared file by e-mail and are wondering how to encrypt a PDF file in e-mail? Nothing could be simpler – just attach a previously password-protected file to the email – opening it will require entering it.

Paid PDF encryption methods

Paid programs for encrypting PDF files include the Microsoft Office office suite and SwifDoo PDF Pro, a more professional and licensed version of SwifDoo free trial version. If you want to encrypt a document once, there is no need to purchase such advanced tools. However, if advanced editing of doc and PDF files and their encryption is your daily routine, these applications may prove to be very useful. 

They will allow you to perform a number of additional activities related to editing PDF files – e.g. introducing protection against editing them. This will allow you to limit the possibility of modifying the document – its recipient will not be able to move objects placed in it, add new ones, edit text – but they will still be able to complete an already prepared PDF document, sign the document or annotate on it.

Final words

Password-protecting a PDF file is intended to increase the security of the valuable information contained in the file. To instantly and securely add a password to a PDF file to prevent unauthorized people from accessing it, use the a dedicated PDFencryption software is highly recommended by experts. Protecting a PDF file without relying on Adobe Acrobat seems impossible for the most users for a long while ago. But this is now possible with an alternative software such as SwifDoo PDF. It allows you to password protect a PDF file without additional tool support. It will help you enable PDF protection without Acrobat installed on your system