What encryption is used?

AES-256 — the current standard for strong PDF encryption, supported by all modern PDF readers.

Is my password sent anywhere?

No. Encryption happens in your browser; neither the file nor the password ever leaves your device.

What if I forget the password?

There is no recovery — that is what real encryption means. Store the password in a password manager.

Can I stop others from printing or copying instead?

Owner-password restrictions (no print/copy) exist but are only advisory — many viewers ignore them. For real protection, use an open password.

Home › How to Password-Protect a PDF

● Files are never uploaded

How to Password-Protect a PDF

Email is not a safe place for an unprotected document: attachments get forwarded, inboxes get breached. Encrypting a PDF with a password means only someone who knows the password can open it — even if the file ends up somewhere it should not.

Haven PDF encrypts with AES-256 (the standard banks use) entirely in your browser. The file and the password never touch a server — which is exactly what you want from a privacy tool: it would be absurd to upload a document somewhere in order to make it private.

Open the tool →

How to

Open the Protect tool. Free, in your browser — no account needed.
Add the PDF. It stays on your device throughout.
Set a strong password. Use a long passphrase; AES-256 encryption is only as strong as the password.
Download the encrypted file. Share it however you like; share the password over a DIFFERENT channel.

How strong is this protection?

AES-256 encryption cannot be brute-forced at real-world scale — the weak link is always the password. “1234” falls in seconds; a four-word passphrase effectively never. Length beats complexity.

Send the password separately

Emailing the encrypted PDF and its password in the same thread defeats the purpose. Send the file by email and the password by phone, SMS or a messaging app — two channels, one breach is no longer enough.

Removing protection later

When the password gets annoying (your own bank statements, say), the Unlock tool removes it — you enter the password once and save an unprotected copy. Also fully in-browser.

Frequently asked questions

What encryption is used?: AES-256 — the current standard for strong PDF encryption, supported by all modern PDF readers.
Is my password sent anywhere?: No. Encryption happens in your browser; neither the file nor the password ever leaves your device.
What if I forget the password?: There is no recovery — that is what real encryption means. Store the password in a password manager.
Can I stop others from printing or copying instead?: Owner-password restrictions (no print/copy) exist but are only advisory — many viewers ignore them. For real protection, use an open password.