How to Password Protect a PDF (and Remove a Password You Know)

By the DocEpic team · Updated 10 November 2026 · 3 min read

Salary slips, bank statements, medical reports and ID scans travel by email and WhatsApp every day. A password keeps them private if they end up in the wrong inbox. And the reverse problem is just as common: a bank statement that asks for a password every time you open it. This guide covers both, plus how to hide parts of a document properly and how to compare two versions.

Add a password to a PDF

Protect PDF encrypts the file with AES-256, the strongest encryption PDF supports.

1. Open Protect PDF and add your file.
2. Type a password and repeat it. Use something long that isn't your name or date of birth.
3. Optionally untick Allow printing, Allow copying or Allow editing to restrict what people can do once the file is open, and set an owner password to be able to change those limits later.
4. Download the protected PDF and share the password separately — by phone or SMS, not in the same email.

Encryption runs in your browser, so neither the file nor the password is ever sent to us. Keep the password safe: it can't be recovered.

Remove a password you know

Bank statements and e-statements often come locked with a password such as your date of birth or part of your account number. Unlock PDF removes it so the file opens without asking: add the PDF, type the password when asked, and download an unlocked copy. Files that only restrict printing or copying unlock without any password.

Unlocking only works when you know the password, and you should only unlock files you are allowed to open.

Hide sensitive details for good

Drawing a black box over an account number in an editor doesn't hide it: the text is still underneath and can be copied out. Redact PDF removes it for real. Draw boxes over what should go, or search for words and mark every email address or phone number in one click. Pages with redactions are rebuilt as images with the boxes burned in, so the hidden text is gone; other pages are left untouched.

See what changed between two versions

When someone sends back an agreement or a report, Compare PDF shows exactly what is different. Text changes marks removed words in red and added words in green; Visual mode highlights every changed pixel, which works for scans and drawings too. Download the comparison report to keep a record.

Questions people ask