Change PDF Permissions
Drop a PDF and choose what to allow or restrict — printing, copying, editing. The file can still be opened by anyone, but only the owner password can change these settings.
Drop a PDF here or click to browse
Processed on your device — never uploaded
Permissions are the quieter half of PDF security. Rather than locking a document shut, they let anyone open and read it while restricting what they can do — no printing, no copying text, no editing. This is what you want for a report or a price list that should be readable but not repurposed. An owner password protects the settings themselves.
Features
- Restrict printing, copying or editing without an open password
- Anyone can still read the document
- Owner password protects the restrictions
- Remove existing restrictions from a PDF you own
- Runs in your browser with qpdf
- Free, no signup
How to use the Change PDF Permissions
- Drop your PDF.
- Choose what to allow and what to restrict.
- Set an owner password to protect these settings.
- Download the result.
Why use this tool
Because sometimes you want a document read but not reprinted or copied — and that is a different tool from locking it behind an open password.
Frequently asked questions
Does my file or password get uploaded?
Neither. The PDF and any password you type are handled entirely inside your browser tab by qpdf compiled to WebAssembly. Nothing is sent over the network — you can confirm this in your browser's Network tab, where the engine loads once and then nothing uploads. For a password-protected bank statement or ID document, this is the whole point: the one file you must never hand to a website is exactly the kind these tools handle without one.
Can people get around these restrictions?
Permission settings are respected by well-behaved PDF readers, but they are advisories enforced by the reader, not hard cryptographic locks on the content the way an open password is. Determined users with the right software can bypass them. Treat permissions as a clear signal of intent and a deterrent, not as unbreakable protection. To truly prevent access, use Add PDF Password instead.
What does the owner password do?
It protects the permission settings. Without it, someone could simply change the restrictions back. Anyone can still open and read the document — the owner password is only needed to alter what is allowed.
Can I remove restrictions from my own PDF?
Yes, if you have the owner password or the file has no owner password set. This is useful for a document you created that is now more locked-down than you need. It will not bypass restrictions on a file you are not authorised to change.