How to Add Password to a PDF File on iPhone and iPad
PDF files have become one of the most common formats for sharing your documents for personal and business purposes. You can also edit PDFs directly on your iPhone without the need for a third-party app. Sometimes, when you need to share a PDF containing confidential information, data security becomes the top priority.
This is why it is recommended to secure your PDF with a password. We’ll show you the steps to add a password to your PDF files on your iPhone. We will share the two ways to add a password with and without the need for a third-party tool.
How to Add Password to PDF on iPhone and iPad
iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 updates brought the ability to lock a PDF file using the Files app. By adding a password, you can secure PDF files stored locally on your iPhone. Note that files stored in iCloud cannot be password protected. First of all, we suggest you to update the software version on your respective device.
Note that the steps will be the same on iPhone and iPad.
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2nd step: Tap on General.
Step 3: Tap Software Update.
Step 4: If an update is available, download and install it.
After the installation is complete, here is how you can password protect a PDF file on your iPhone and iPad.
Step 1: Open the Files app on your iPhone or iPad.
2nd step: Open the PDF you want to secure with a password.
Step 3: Tap the drop-down menu at the top.
Step 4: Select Lock PDF.
Step 5: Add your PDF password and enter it again to verify.
Step 6: Tap Done in the upper right corner to save the password.
Step 7: Tap Done in the upper right corner again to confirm.
Your PDF file is now password protected on your iPhone.
You can tap on it and enter the password to access the file. Share this file and the password with your contacts to prevent unwanted access.
Please note that you cannot remove the password from your PDF file.
Alternatively, if your iPhone or iPad is running on an older software version and it doesn’t support iOS 16 or iPadOS 16, here’s how you can lock your PDF file.
Step 1: Open the Files app on your iPhone.
2nd step: Open the PDF you want to secure with a password.
Step 3: Tap the Share icon in the lower left corner.
Step 4: Select Lock PDF from the list of options.
Step 5: Add your PDF password and enter it again to verify.
Step 6: Tap Done in the top right corner to confirm.
Step 7: Tap Done in the upper right corner again to save the password.
Add Password to PDF Using Adobe Acrobat on iPhone and iPad
Adobe Acrobat official website also provides Lock PDF feature. You can use this feature to secure files stored on your iCloud. This free online tool works like a charm and allows you to download your password-protected PDF files directly to your iPhone or iPad. Here’s how to use it.
Step 1: Open the browser on your iPhone or iPad.
2nd step: Visit the official website of Adobe Acrobat PDF tool.
Step 3: Tap Select File.
Step 4: Select the PDF file you want to protect with a password.
Step 5: Enter your password twice to verify.
You can also use the auto-generated strong password on your iPhone.
Step 6: Click Set Password.
Step 7: After that, you can upload your PDF file containing the preferred password.
You can open your file using Preview or any third-party software like Adobe Acrobat Reader on Mac. You can also read our article on how to sign PDFs using Adobe Acrobat Reader on iPhone and Mac.
Secure your PDF
If you share agreements, certificates or personal information in a PDF file, it is always recommended to secure your PDF with a password. Using your iPhone, you can easily add a password to your PDF files on the go. Besides documents, you may need to convert images to PDF files. For example, when you share photos for printing, you are sometimes asked to share them as PDF files.
If you have such photos on your iPhone or iPad, you can easily convert these images to PDF without any third party application. Then you can share these PDFs using Airdrop, email or iMessage with your contacts directly from your iPhone or iPad.