Put a password on a signed contract, the right way
A signed contract with a Social Security number on it is about to go to your accountant, your lender or a shared drive. A password on the PDF means a forwarded email or a misplaced file doesn't expose it. Here's an honest look at where SignMaster protects the document, where it doesn't, and how to add a password to a copy.
Updated November 5, 2026 · 2 min read
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Where SignMaster protects the document
| Stage | What protects it |
|---|---|
| Before signing | A private link per signer, plus an optional access code before the document opens |
| Stored in SignMaster | Encrypted at rest with AES-256 by the storage provider, and visible only to your workspace |
| When it's complete | A regular PDF reaches every signer and you by email, with no open password |
| After that | Whatever you do with the file: a password, redaction, or where you keep it |
So SignMaster doesn't put a password on the signed PDF itself. Once a signed copy is in someone's inbox, it's protected by their inbox. If that isn't enough for a particular document, add a password to the copy you share onward.
Add a password to a copy
- 1
Download the signed PDF
Open the envelope and download the signed copy, or save the one from your completion email.
- 2
Open the free tool
Go to Password-protect PDF. It runs entirely in your browser, so the contract never leaves your device.
- 3
Set an open password
Choose a long password nobody would guess. You can also restrict printing and copying, though those limits depend on the reader app honoring them.
- 4
Share the password separately
Email the protected PDF, then text or call with the password. Sending both in one email protects nothing.
Other apps can do this too. Preview on a Mac can require a password when you export a PDF, and the paid versions of Adobe Acrobat have a protect option. The steps above work on any device, including a phone.
Keep the original
A password-protected copy is a new file, so its SHA-256 fingerprint no longer matches the one on the envelope page. Keep the original signed PDF as your record of what was signed, and share protected copies from it.
Often better than a password
- Redact before sending. If nobody needs the full account number, remove it before the document goes out, and every copy is safer for good.
- Use an access code. It protects the document while it's out for signature, the moment it's most often forwarded by mistake.
- Share from storage, not email. A shared folder with its own permissions often beats emailing attachments around.
Uploading a protected PDF
Going the other way, SignMaster can't open a password-protected PDF you upload to send, and signers can't attach one in an upload field. Remove the password first, by opening it with the password and saving or exporting an unprotected copy, then upload that.
Questions? Answers.
Can SignMaster email signed copies with a password?
No. The completed email carries a normal PDF. Add a password to a copy with the free tool when you need to share it further.
Does a password break the e-signature?
The signatures are still on the pages, but the file is new, so its fingerprint won't match SignMaster's record. Keep the unprotected original to prove what was signed.
Can I restrict printing or editing?
The free tool can ask readers not to print or copy, but some apps ignore those flags. Only the open password reliably keeps people out.
Is my file uploaded when I use the password tool?
No. The tool runs in your browser and the PDF stays on your device.