PDF security tools
Security tools are the ones where uploading makes the least sense: you should not have to send a private file to a stranger's server to lock it. Here the encryption, unlocking and cleaning all happen in your browser, and your password never leaves your device.
PDF security- Unlock PDF
Remove a password you know from a PDF, on your own device.
- Redact PDF
Black out text for good, by box or by search, then check the result.
- Protect PDF
Lock a PDF with a password and AES-256 encryption.
- Digital Signature PDF
Sign a PDF with your own certificate, and check the signatures it has.
- Remove PDF Metadata
See and wipe author, dates and hidden data from a PDF.
- Flatten PDF
Lock form fields and comments into the page so they cannot change.
How strong is the password protection?
Protect PDF uses AES-256 encryption, the strongest method in the PDF standard. The real weak point is the password itself: use a long one that is not a word in a dictionary, and send it to the reader by a different channel than the file, such as a text message when the PDF goes by email.
Can these tools open a PDF if I forgot the password?
No. Unlock PDF removes a password you type in, so you can save an unlocked copy. It does not guess or break unknown passwords. If you forgot the password to your own file, check the email or system that sent it to you, or ask the person who made the file.
What is PDF metadata?
Metadata is hidden information stored in the file: author name, the software used, creation and edit dates, and sometimes a title or company name. It travels with the file. Remove PDF Metadata shows what is there and wipes it before you share the file.
What does flattening do?
Flattening turns form fields, comments and stamps into a normal part of the page. After that, a filled form cannot be changed by mistake, and annotations print the same everywhere. Keep an unflattened copy if you may need to change an answer later, because flattening cannot be undone.
Guides
- Why Black Boxes Don't Redact a PDF A number hidden six ways, found again in five, plus real court and agency failures.
- PDF Open Password vs Permissions Password One file locked both ways: what each password stopped, and which one keeps a PDF private.
- What PDF Metadata Reveals About You Eight hidden details in one memo, from your time zone to an old title, and how to remove them.
- Is It Safe to Upload a PDF Online? What the FBI warned about free converters, and a one-minute test that shows if a tool uploads your file.
- Why Is My PDF So Large? What takes up the space in a PDF, measured, and how to fix each cause.