How to password protect a PDF in Windows 11 without installing any programs

In this opportunity we will see How to password protect a PDF in Windows 11, without installing any programs. Password-encrypting a PDF document is a great option if you don't want third parties to access it without your permission. We'll see how to do it directly from your PC, but also how to use an online tool. Let's get started.

How to password protect a PDF in Windows 11 without installing any programs

Password protecting a PDF in Windows 11 is a simple, yet effective, security measure that provides peace of mind knowing your information is safe. Also, by setting a password you protect the integrity of the document, since no one will be able to easily access it in order to edit, print or copy its contents.

There are many tools that can help you password protect a PDF in Windows 11. However, this time We will focus on how to do it without having to download any extra programs.Next, we'll see how you can password-protect your PDF using Microsoft Word and Smallpdf, the latter being an online tool.

Here's how to password-protect a PDF in Windows 11 using Microsoft Word.

Did you know you can password-protect a PDF in Windows 11 using Word itself? Yes. With this common text editor, which comes pre-installed on your Windows 11 PC. You can password-protect your documentsWhether they are PDF or .docx documents, they can be easily encrypted with a password.

Next, we leave you the Steps to password protect a PDF in Windows 11 using Word:

1. Locate the PDF document you want to protect.
2. Right click on it and select Open with Word.
3. Once you have the document open in Word, you may see a prompt asking you to click on Enable editing.
4. Now, click on Archive.
5. Then choose the option Export.
6. Select option Create PDF / XPS document.
7. In the pop-up window, select Options.
8. Now click on the option "Encrypt the document with a password” and press Accept.
9. Choose the password and repeat it in the corresponding field (the password must be between 6 and 32 characters) and tap OK.
10. Finally, choose the place where you want to save the document, give it an identifying name and click on Publish.

Once you have completed all these steps, a pop-up window will appear warning you that “The file cannot be opened", this is completely normalThis is precisely because you just encrypted it with a password. Now, to verify that it's really protected, go to where you saved it and open it.

You will see that When a PDF is password protected, it is not possible to preview it.Instead, where the preview normally appears, you'll see a message saying "No preview available." And, if all went well, when you double-click on it, you'll be prompted to enter the password to view it.

You can also protect your .docx documents

In case you have a Word document you want to protect With a password, you can also do this from the same tool. To do this, just follow these steps:

1. Open the Word document.
2. Click File.
3. Select Information.
4. Click Protect Document – ​​Encrypt with Password.
5. Assign a password and confirm it.
6. Finally, click Save As and select your destination location.
7. Done. The next time you open the document, you'll need to enter the password to view its contents.

Password Protect a PDF in Windows 11: Using Smallpdf

The other way to password encrypt your PDF documents without programs is using an online toolThere are a ton of these tools available for free on the Internet. One of them is Smallpdf and not only allows you to protect your documents, but also to crop, translate, edit, etc.

Below are the steps to protect your documents with a password. using the online tool Smallpdf:

1. Go to the Smallpdf website (you can use the link above).
2. Where it says Most Popular PDF Tools, click Learn about all PDF tools.
3. Swipe until you find the one that says Protect PDF.
4. Now click on the Choose Files option.
5. Locate and select the PDF document and click Open.
6. Choose your password and repeat it.
7. Then, click Protect and wait for the PDF encryption to complete.
8. Finally, click Download to save the secured file to your PC.
9. Done. This simple way you can secure any PDF document with a password.

After downloading the PDF document to your Windows 11 computer, you'll see that when you open it, you'll be prompted for the password you created. No matter which document reader you open it with (Word, Adobe, or a Browser) you will need to enter the password to view the content.

Benefits of password-protecting a PDF in Windows 11

As you can see, password-protecting a PDF in Windows 11 without any software is possible. Besides, who doesn't have Word installed on their PC? And if you want to use an online alternative, you have the option of using tools like Smallpdf. Now, what's the best way to protect your PDF?When is it really necessary to encrypt a document with a password?What are the benefits of doing this?

If you're thinking about password-protecting a PDF in Windows 11, you'll probably want to protect the information inside. You can set a password. If the document is confidential, part of an educational or work project, or if you simply want to protect the PDF for added security

In summary, we could say that protecting our documents with a password has the following advantage:

• Confidentiality and privacy: With a password, you can protect your personal data, financial information, legal documents, business information, or personal research data.
• Access control: By sharing the encrypted document with others, you can control who can access it and who can't.
• Document integrity: In addition to protecting it with a password, some tools (including Word) allow you to prevent editing, printing, or copying of the document's content for greater protection.
• Ease of useMost tools that allow you to encrypt a document with a password are easy to use. Test it out by following the steps in this article.

Now that you know how to password protect a PDF in Windows 11 without installing any programs, take advantage of this option whenever you need it. You don't need to download special apps to do this. add an extra layer of security to your important documents. Follow the steps in this article and protect your files from prying eyes.