Lock PDF (Add Password)
Protect confidential PDF documents with strong encryption locally
Source file is already protected — its password is needed to re-encrypt it.
Locked! downloaded — password required to open.
Lock PDF (Add Password) — Complete Guide & Instructions
MakeCard Lock PDF encrypts a document with a password entirely inside your browser. Set an open password — plus optional restrictions on printing and copying — and the tool rebuilds a protected copy that demands the password before it opens. Files that already carry a password can be re-encrypted with a new one after you supply the current password, which makes it equally handy for rotating credentials on older documents.
How to Use Lock PDF (Add Password)
- 1 Drop your file on "Select PDF File to Protect" or press "Choose PDF File".
- 2 If the source is already protected, enter its password in "Current PDF Password" first.
- 3 Type your chosen password in "New Password" and repeat it in "Confirm Password".
- 4 Tick "Allow printing" and/or "Allow copying text" to set the permissions a recipient gets.
- 5 Click "Lock & Download PDF" — the encrypted file saves as filename-protected.pdf and requires the password to open.
Key Features & Capabilities
- Real password encryption applied locally — the document demands a password on open.
- Granular permissions: independently allow or block printing and text copying.
- Re-encrypt already-protected PDFs by supplying the current password.
- Password confirmation field prevents lockout from a typo.
- Per-page progress bar while the protected copy is built.
- High-quality page rendering so the locked output still looks sharp.
Supported Formats & Specifications
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Encryption | User + owner password applied to the rebuilt document |
| Permissions | Optional allow-printing and allow-copying flags |
| Input | PDF up to 60 MB; pre-protected files need the current password |
| Output | filename-protected.pdf — password required on open |
| Note | Pages are re-rendered into the protected file at high quality |
Practical Everyday Use Cases
- Protecting bank statements, salary slips or ID documents before emailing them.
- Sending a quotation or invoice that only the intended client can open.
- Restricting print and copy on a draft report circulated for review.
- Rotating the password on an older protected PDF.
- Locking scanned personal records stored on a shared drive.
Pro Tips for Best Results
- Use a strong, unique password — the tool cannot recover it because it never leaves your device.
- Leave "Allow copying text" unticked when sharing sensitive numbers or clauses.
- Because pages are re-rendered during locking, the protected copy is image-based — keep the original if you need selectable text.
- Send the password through a different channel than the file itself for real security.
Common Problems & Solutions
Retype both fields carefully — the confirm box exists precisely to stop a mistyped password locking you out of your own file.
A PDF already protected by someone else cannot be re-encrypted without its current open password — request it from the sender.
There is no recovery — the password is never transmitted or stored. Always keep a note of it, or re-lock from the unprotected original.
Privacy & Security
100% Client-Side Execution
Encryption is completely client-side: your file and your password never leave the device, and MakeCard cannot see, store or recover either of them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about using Lock PDF (Add Password)
Open the file in this tool, type and confirm a password, optionally set print and copy permissions, then click "Lock & Download PDF" — the output asks for the password on open.
Yes — leave "Allow copying text" unticked and the permission flag is written into the encrypted document.
The open password controls who can open it; the permission checkboxes control printing and copying. Determined recipients with the password can still screenshot pages.
This tool sets passwords; it cannot recover them. The Unlock PDF tool can remove a password only when you already know it.
The encryption is standard PDF protection applied locally — the file is genuinely password-gated afterward. Security still depends on choosing a strong password.
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