12 July 2026
How to Password Protect a PDF Online
Add a password and set permissions on any PDF in seconds. Control who can open, print, or edit the file — no software needed.
Sharing a PDF with sensitive information? A password stops anyone without it from opening the file. Riqa also lets you set permissions so recipients can view and print but not copy or edit.
What you'll need
- A PDF file to protect
- A password you want to use
- A Riqa account with credits
How to protect a PDF
- Go to riqa.app/encryptpdf
- Upload your PDF
- Enter an Open password — anyone opening the file will need this
- Optionally add an Owner password — this controls permission overrides; leave it blank to use the same password for both
- Choose a permission preset:
- Full Access — no restrictions beyond the password
- View & Print — recipients can read and print but not edit or copy
- Read Only — view only, no printing, copying, or editing
- Click Protect PDF and download your protected file
Open password vs owner password
Most use cases only need an open password — it prevents the file from being opened at all without it.
The owner password is for permission enforcement. PDF readers that respect owner passwords will block printing or editing even after the file is open. Leave it blank and Riqa uses your open password for both.
A few things to know
Password recovery is not possible. If you lose the password, the file cannot be unlocked without a brute-force attack. Keep a copy of the unprotected original somewhere safe.
Permission presets are advisory. Most PDF readers enforce them, but a determined recipient with specialist software can bypass PDF permissions. For genuinely sensitive content, the open password is the meaningful protection.