fyllyoFree, with no account
Password protection is one of Fyllyo’s free tools, and it doesn’t expire.
Password-protect a PDF. Free, on your Mac.
Require a password to open a PDF, or let people open it but limit printing and copying. It takes a few seconds, it’s free, and your file never leaves your Mac.
Free, with no account · Nothing uploaded · Apple silicon, macOS 13 or later
How to do it in Fyllyo
Open the PDF
Drop it on Fyllyo’s Home screen, or choose Open.
Choose Security from the viewer’s menu
The Protect Document window opens.
Set the password
Tick Require password to open and type the password twice. Or tick Restrict permissions to limit printing and copying.
Apply Protection, then save
The saved PDF is encrypted, and asks for the password in any PDF app.
Why Fyllyo
Nothing is uploaded
Online tools that add passwords need your file first. Fyllyo protects it on your Mac.
Open protected PDFs too
Once you enter the password, you can read, fill, sign, edit pages and save a protected PDF.
Questions
Can I password-protect a PDF on a Mac for free?
Yes. In Fyllyo it’s free, with no account: choose Security from the viewer’s menu, tick Require password to open, type the password twice, and save.
Can I stop people printing or copying a PDF?
Yes. In the Protect Document window, tick Restrict permissions to limit what people can do with the PDF without a password. PDF apps that respect permissions enforce them.
Are my files uploaded?
No. The PDF is protected on your Mac, and your files are never sent anywhere.
What if I forget the password?
Fyllyo can’t recover it, and neither can anyone else; that’s what makes it safe. Keep the password somewhere secure, or keep an unprotected copy.
More you can do with your PDFs
Reading, filling in, drawn signatures, page tools, combining, splitting, text recognition and passwords are free. Fyllyo Paid adds filling forms from your documents with AI, redaction, certificate signing, text editing, smaller PDFs and XFA forms, for $99 once.