What encryption strength does PDFWix use?

AES-256 with PDF 1.7 extension level 8 — the strongest standard supported by Adobe Acrobat, Preview and most modern PDF readers.

Can I set separate user and owner passwords?

Yes. The user password gates opening; the owner password controls printing, copying and editing permissions.

What happens if I forget my password?

We can't recover it — that's the whole point of encryption. Always store the password in a password manager before sending the file.

My Protect PDF job is stuck on "processing".

Refresh the page and try again. Browser-side processing depends on your device's CPU and RAM, so closing other tabs usually helps.

The downloaded file looks different from the preview.

Clear your browser cache and re-run the job. Outdated cached fonts can occasionally cause rendering glitches. If the issue persists, email us a sample to help@pdfwix.com.

Can I undo a Protect PDF operation?

Your original file is never modified — PDFWix always produces a new file. Just discard the new version and start again with the original.

How to Protect PDF: A Step-by-Step Guide

Lock any PDF with a strong password. AES-256 encryption, processed privately in your browser.