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Password Protect PDF for startups
Updated July 2026
Arthize lets startup founders and teams password-protect a PDF in a private workspace — free, with no watermark. Protecting a PDF encrypts it with a password, so only people with the password can open the file — the encryption travels with the document.
Why startups password-protect a PDF
A founder exports the pitch deck to PDF, merges it with financials into a data-room file, and sends a SAFE for e-signature — without paying for enterprise document software.
Built for pitch decks. Whether it's pitch decks, cap tables, contracts, Arthize's password protect pdf keeps the work inside your private workspace. Fundraising materials and cap tables are highly confidential; private processing is critical.
What matters when you password-protect a PDF
Password protection encrypts the PDF so it can't be opened without the password.
The encryption travels with the file, unlike a folder lock that stays on your computer.
A separate permissions password can restrict printing or copying.
How to password-protect a PDF
- 1
Open the protect tool
Sign in and open the Protect tool.
- 2
Add your PDF
Upload the document you want to encrypt.
- 3
Set a password
Choose a strong open password and, optionally, a permissions password.
- 4
Download
Get an encrypted PDF that requires the password to open.
Common questions
- How do startups password-protect a PDF for free?
- Protecting a PDF encrypts it with a password, so only people with the password can open the file — the encryption travels with the document. On Arthize it's free with no watermark, and the file is deleted after the job — which is why startup founders and teams can use it for pitch decks without a confidentiality risk.
- Is it private to password-protect a PDF sensitive pitch decks?
- Yes. Fundraising materials and cap tables are highly confidential; private processing is critical. Files are processed inside your private Arthize workspace and deleted after the job.
- How do I password-protect a PDF?
- Protecting a PDF encrypts it with a password, so only people with the password can open the file — the encryption travels with the document. On Arthize it's free with no watermark and processed privately.
- Is a password-protected PDF actually encrypted?
- Protecting a PDF encrypts it with a password, so only people with the password can open the file — the encryption travels with the document. On Arthize it's free with no watermark and processed privately.
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