Password-Protect Generated PDFs

Last updated March 27, 2026

You can generate password-protected PDFs by passing a _password key in the document’s metadata. The generated file is encrypted with AES-256 and requires the password to open. If you omit _password, documents generate without encryption as usual.

Setting the password via the API

Include the _password key inside the meta object when you create a document:

curl https://api.pdfmonkey.io/api/v1/documents \
  -X POST \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SECRET_KEY' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "document": {
      "document_template_id": "YOUR_TEMPLATE_ID",
      "status": "pending",
      "payload": { "name": "Jane Doe" },
      "meta": {
        "_password": "s3cur3-p@ss!"
      }
    }
  }'

You can combine _password with other meta keys like _filename:

{
  "meta": {
    "_filename": "contract-jane-doe.pdf",
    "_password": "s3cur3-p@ss!"
  }
}

Setting the password from the Dashboard

  1. Open a document in the Document Editor.
  2. Switch to the Meta data tab.
  3. Enter the _password key and your desired password:
{
  "_password": "s3cur3-p@ss!"
}
  1. Click Save, then Generate.

For a full walkthrough, see Generate Documents from the Dashboard.

How it works

When _password is present in the meta, PDFMonkey encrypts the generated PDF with AES-256 after rendering. The recipient needs the exact password to open the document. Without it, the content stays locked.

  • Any template works. Code editor, Builder, existing templates – password protection works with all of them.
  • No configuration needed. You don’t need to enable anything on the template or your account.
  • Works with all integrations. Zapier, Make, Workato, n8n, Bubble, Glide, direct API – anywhere you can set the meta field.
  • Per-document control. One document can be password-protected while the next one isn’t.
  • Available on all plans. Free plan included.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if I don’t set a password?

Documents generate without encryption, exactly as before. Password protection is opt-in.

Can I use dynamic data in the password?

Not directly inside the _password value. However, in most integration platforms (Zapier, Make, n8n) you can use dynamic fields or expressions to build the password string before passing it to PDFMonkey.

Does password protection work with image output formats?

No. Password protection only applies to PDF output. Image formats (PNG, WebP, JPG) do not support encryption.

Frequently asked questions

How do I password protect a PDF with PDFMonkey?
Pass a "_password" key in the document's meta field. Via the API, include it in the meta object when creating a document: "meta": { "_password": "your-password" }. The generated PDF will be encrypted with AES-256 and require the password to open.
What encryption does PDFMonkey use for password-protected PDFs?
PDFMonkey uses AES-256 encryption. The PDF is encrypted after generation, and the recipient needs the exact password you specified to open the document.
Can I generate PDFs without a password?
Yes. If you don't include the _password field in your meta, PDFs generate exactly as before: no encryption, no password. Password protection is entirely opt-in, per document.
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