How to Make a PDF Document Password Protected?

Janhardin21

I frequently work with confidential PDF documents and need to ensure they are securely protected before sharing them with clients. I want to apply a strong password to my PDFs so that only authorized users can access them. While I know Adobe Acrobat offers this feature, I am looking for alternative methods that are reliable and easy to use.

I've come across several online tools, but I am concerned about security risks when uploading sensitive files to third-party websites. Can anyone recommend a tested and secure way to password-protect a PDF document?

I recently tried SysTools PDF Lock, which worked well for me as it applies strong encryption without compromising document integrity. Has anyone else used it, or do you have other recommendations? Looking forward to expert suggestions!

JeffreyW

If security is your priority, avoiding online tools is definitely a smart move. For a reliable and easy way to password-protect PDFs without using Adobe Acrobat, you have several good offline options.

LibreOffice Draw allows you to open and export PDFs with password protection built-in, making it a solid-free alternative.

PDFTK Builder is another lightweight, offline tool that can quickly add encryption without risking your data online.

If you're on Windows, you can also use Microsoft Print to PDF, then encrypt the file using 7-Zip or WinRAR with AES-256 encryption, which is highly secure. Since you already mentioned SysTools PDF Lock, and it works well for you, that’s also a great option.