How to lock PDFs in Preview on iPad

You can lock PDFs in Preview on iPad with a password to keep others from editing or deleting your work.

Last updated: October 19, 2026 11:14 am

By Tom Griffin - Executive Editor

0 Min Read

On iPad, you can lock a PDF document with a password to prevent others from editing or deleting your work. You just lock it in the Preview app, and to keep a copy that’s not password-protected, you can duplicate it first. You can also open and view PDFs and images in Preview.

Screenshot of lock options.

Go to the Preview app on your iPad.
Open a PDF.

Important: To keep a copy that’s not password-protected, tap the Actions Menu button, then tap Duplicate.
Tap the Actions Menu button next to the filename and tap Lock.
Turn on Require Password. Enter the same password in the Password and Verify fields.
Tap Done.