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Protect a PDF

Protect a PDF you share: passwords, expiry and view-only

Once you send a PDF file, it is out of your hands. Share a link instead and you decide who can open it, for how long, and whether they can download it.

Start freePassword protect a PDF
Your options

What each protection does

Combine them. A password with an expiry date and downloads off covers most needs.

ProtectionWhat it stopsWhat it does not stopPlan
Unlisted linkPeople finding it without the linkAnyone you or they forward it toFree
PrivateEveryone but youNot for sharing: only you can open itFree
Download controlDownload button and printingScreenshots, copying textFree
PasswordAnyone without the passwordPeople you give it toPaid
Expiry dateOpens after the date and timeCopies saved before thenPaid
Email gateAnonymous readingMade-up email addressesPaid

Swipe sideways to compare

Passwords, expiry and the email gate work on unlisted links. Public PDFs open as a plain file and cannot use them.

Features

Protection features, one by one

Each page explains how the protection works, what it costs and where it falls short.

Paid

Password protected PDF links

Ask for a password before the PDF opens.

Read morePaid

Expiring PDF links

Stop the link working at a date and time you choose.

Read moreFree

PDF download control

Share a view-only PDF with the download button hidden.

Read morePaid

Email gate

Collect an email before the PDF opens.

Read morePaid

Custom domain links

Share links on your own domain so readers trust them.

Read moreFree

Replace a PDF, keep the link

Remove a mistake from a PDF you already sent.

Read more
Limits

What no PDF viewer can stop

Worth knowing before you share anything sensitive.

Anything shown on a screen can be photographed or captured. Text in the viewer can be selected and copied. A reader can pass the link and the password on to someone else. These protections raise the effort needed to copy a PDF. They do not make copying impossible.

SharePDF does not offer watermarks, DRM, NDAs or data rooms. For legal or deal documents that need those, a data room service is the better fit.

Set it up

A sensible setup for a sensitive PDF

About two minutes in the dashboard.

  • Upload the PDF. New uploads are unlisted.
  • Check that downloads are off. That is the default unless you changed it in Settings.
  • Add a password and send it separately from the link, for example by text message.
  • Set an expiry date for the day after your deadline.
  • When you no longer need it, delete the PDF. The link stops working.
FAQ

Protecting PDFs: common questions

What each protection does, and what it does not.

What is the best way to protect a PDF I share online?

Share a link instead of the file, keep it unlisted, and turn downloads off. Add a password or an expiry date if only some people should read it, or if it should stop working after a deadline.

Is a password on the link the same as a password on the PDF?

No. A password set inside the PDF travels with the file, so it still applies after a download. A password on a SharePDF link protects the viewer page. If downloads are on, a downloaded copy has no password.

Can people still screenshot a protected PDF?

Yes. No web viewer can stop screenshots or photos of the screen. Download control reduces casual saving and printing. It is not DRM.

Does SharePDF add watermarks?

No. SharePDF does not add watermarks or DRM. If you need those, look at data room tools such as DocSend.

Which protections are free?

Unlisted and private links and download control are free. Passwords, link expiry and the email gate are on paid plans, from $5 a month.

Share a PDF you stay in control of

Unlisted links and download control are free. Passwords and expiry start at $5 a month.

Start freeSee plans