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Military-grade AES-256 encryption — the same standard used by banks and governments. Your PDFs are truly secure.
Control what recipients can do — allow or block printing and text copying. Fine-grained access control.
Protect up to 10 PDFs at once. No signup, no watermarks, no limits. 100MB per file, completely free.
Password protecting a PDF means encrypting the file so it can only be opened with the correct password. Filator's PDF protector uses AES-256 encryption — the same standard used by banks, governments, and military organizations — and it's completely free. No signup, no daily limits, and files up to 100MB are supported with batch protection of up to 10 documents at once.
Most PDF protection tools either charge for encryption or severely limit free usage. Adobe Acrobat Online requires a paid subscription ($19.99/month) for full protection features. iLovePDF caps free users at 15MB and limited operations. Smallpdf restricts free users to 2 tasks per day. Filator has none of these restrictions.
The strongest encryption available for PDFs. AES-256 is the same standard used by military and financial institutions. Some competitors only offer AES-128 or weaker RC4.
Control what recipients can do with your PDF. Allow or block printing and text copying. Set restrictions beyond just a password.
Protect up to 10 PDFs at once with the same password. Most free tools limit you to 1 file per session. Filator processes files in parallel.
Protect PDFs up to 100MB each — far beyond iLovePDF's 15MB free limit and most competitors that restrict file sizes to 5-50MB.
Drag and drop PDF files into the upload area, or click to browse. Up to 10 files, 100MB each.
Enter and confirm your desired password. Optionally expand "Advanced Settings" to control printing and copying permissions.
Hit "Protect PDFs" to encrypt your files with AES-256. A progress bar shows real-time status.
Download each protected PDF individually or use "Download All" for batch downloads. Files now require the password to open.
| Feature | Filator | iLovePDF | Smallpdf | Adobe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Encryption | AES-256 | AES-128 | AES-128 | AES-256 |
| File Size Limit | 100MB | 15MB (free) | Limited | Paid only |
| Batch Files | 10 files | 1 (free) | 1 | 1 |
| Permission Controls | Print + Copy | None (free) | None | Full (paid) |
| Price | Free | $7/mo for Pro | $9/mo for Pro | $12.99/mo |
Password-protect contracts, financial reports, or legal documents before sharing via email. Only recipients with the password can open them.
Encrypt proposals, designs, or reports before sending to clients. Add print restrictions to prevent unauthorized distribution.
Protect tax returns, medical records, or ID copies stored on your computer or cloud storage. AES-256 encryption keeps them safe.
Password-protect unpublished research, thesis drafts, or exam papers before sharing with reviewers or committee members.
Adobe Acrobat Pro costs $19.99/month and is the most common way to encrypt PDFs — but it's not the only option. Filator provides the same AES-256 encryption strength for free, in your browser, with no software to install. You can also protect PDFs using macOS Preview (File → Export as PDF → Security Options) or LibreOffice (File → Export as PDF → Security tab), but these require desktop software. Filator works on any device including phones and Chromebooks.
AES-128 uses a 128-bit encryption key with 3.4 × 1038 possible combinations. AES-256 uses a 256-bit key with 1.1 × 1077 combinations — exponentially harder to crack. While both are considered secure for everyday use, AES-256 is the standard required by the U.S. government for classified information and is what banks use for financial transactions.
Many free PDF tools (including iLovePDF and Smallpdf) only offer AES-128 encryption on their free tiers. Filator uses AES-256 for all users, free or otherwise. If you're protecting sensitive documents — legal, medical, financial — AES-256 is the right choice.
An open password (user password) prevents anyone from opening the PDF without entering the correct password. A permissions password (owner password) allows viewing the document but restricts specific actions — like printing, copying text, or editing. Filator lets you set an open password and optionally restrict printing and copying through the Advanced Settings panel.
Upload your PDF to Filator, enter your desired password (and confirm it), then click Protect. Your PDF will be encrypted with AES-256 and require the password to open. Download the protected file and share it securely.
Yes, completely free with no hidden costs. Unlike Adobe (paid subscription) or iLovePDF (limited free uses), Filator lets you protect PDFs up to 100MB with AES-256 encryption, no signup, and no watermarks.
Filator uses AES-256 encryption — the strongest available for PDF files. This is the same standard used by banks, governments, and military organizations. Some free competitors only offer weaker AES-128 or RC4 encryption.
Yes. Upload up to 10 PDFs, set one password, and protect them all at once. Most competitors restrict batch protection to paid plans.
Yes. Expand the "Advanced Settings" section to toggle printing and text copying permissions. By default, printing is allowed and copying is blocked.
Yes. The protected PDF works with all standard PDF readers — Adobe Acrobat, Preview (Mac), Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and any PDF app on mobile devices.
Yes. Your files are processed on our servers and automatically deleted after download. We never store, share, or access your documents. Your password is not logged or stored on our servers.
Each PDF can be up to 100MB. This exceeds iLovePDF's 15MB free limit and most competitors that cap at 5-50MB. No premium subscription needed.
Open Filator in any browser, upload your PDF, set a password, and click Protect. No software download, no Adobe subscription. Filator uses AES-256 encryption — the same strength as Adobe Acrobat Pro — completely free.
AES-128 uses a 128-bit key, AES-256 uses a 256-bit key. AES-256 is exponentially harder to crack and is the standard used by governments and banks. Filator uses AES-256; many free competitors only offer AES-128.
Yes. Filator works on any device with a modern browser — iPhone, Android, iPad, or desktop. No app download needed. Upload, set password, protect, download.
An open password blocks the PDF from being opened without the password. A permissions password allows viewing but restricts actions like printing, copying, or editing. Filator lets you set an open password and optionally restrict printing and copying.
Bottom line: Filator's PDF protector uses AES-256 encryption — the same standard used by Adobe Acrobat Pro ($19.99/month) — for free. It supports files up to 100MB, batch protection of 10 documents, and permission controls for printing and copying. No signup required. Competitors like iLovePDF cap free users at 15MB with AES-128, and Smallpdf limits to 2 daily tasks.
Add AES-256 password protection to your PDF files instantly — no signup, no file size restrictions, and no watermarks. Scroll up and drop your first PDF to get started.
Add AES-256 password protection to your PDFs