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Load a Password-Protected PDF

27 Feb 20262 minutes to read

This article explains how to open password-protected PDF files in the Syncfusion React PDF Viewer. The viewer supports both user‑interactive loading (Open File dialog) and programmatic loading using APIs.

1. Opening a Password-Protected PDF Using the Open File Dialog

When the user selects a password-protected PDF using the built‑in Open File option:

  • The viewer detects that the document is encrypted

Open PDF Document

  • A password input popup is automatically displayed

Password Protected Pop-up

  • The user enters the password

  • The document is decrypted and loaded

No additional configuration or code is required.

This approach works for all password-protected PDFs opened locally by the user.

2. Opening a Password-Protected PDF Programmatically

If you load a password-protected PDF from a URL or through custom logic, the viewer provides two behaviors depending on how the file is loaded.

2.1 Load the Document Using viewer.load(url, password)

You can directly pass the password in the load method:

viewer.load(
  'https://your-api/password-protected.pdf',
  'Password'
);
  • If the password is correct → the PDF loads immediately
  • If the password is incorrect → the viewer displays the incorrect password popup
  • If no password is provided → the password popup is shown automatically

This is useful when the password is known beforehand.

2.2 Loading a Password-Protected Document’s URL Using documentPath

If the documentPath points to a password-protected PDF:

<PdfViewerComponent
        id="container"
        //Load URL for Password Protected Document 
        documentPath="https://cdn.syncfusion.com/content/pdf/pdf-succinctly.pdf"
        resourceUrl="https://cdn.syncfusion.com/ej2/31.2.2/dist/ej2-pdfviewer-lib"
        style={{ height: '640px' }}
    >

The viewer will:

  • Detect encryption
  • Show the password popup automatically
  • Allow the user to enter the correct password
  • Then load the PDF

Password Protected Pop-up

NOTE

No password should be passed inside documentPath.