Unlock PDF
Remove the password from a PDF you can open, along with its printing, copying and editing restrictions. Free, and the file and its password never leave your browser.
Drop a locked PDF — anywhere on this page
Two kinds of locked PDF
An open password — the PDF asks for it before showing anything. Bank statements, payslips and documents sent by email are often protected this way. Type the password once here and you get a copy that opens without it, which is what you want before archiving it, merging it with other files or giving it to a program that cannot ask for passwords.
Restrictions only — the PDF opens normally but will not let you print, copy text or fill in fields. Those limits come from an owner password the reader never needs to type, so the tool removes them without asking.
Then do something with it
Locked files are why many PDF tools fail. Once unlocked, the PDF can go straight to PDF to Markdown, Merge PDF, Split PDF or Organize PDF — use the buttons under the result, no need to download and pick the file again.
Frequently asked questions
Still stuck? Ask us.
Can it open a PDF if I don't know the password?
No. If a PDF asks for a password before it opens, you need that password (or the owner password) to unlock it. The tool does not guess or crack passwords. PDFs that only block printing, copying or editing open without one, so those restrictions are removed straight away.
Is my password sent anywhere?
No. The PDF is decrypted in your browser tab, and the password is only used there and then forgotten. Neither the file nor the password is uploaded or stored.
Which kinds of PDF protection are supported?
The standard password security used by Acrobat, Word, Preview and most other software: AES-256, AES-128 and the older RC4 encryption (40 and 128-bit). PDFs protected with a certificate (a digital ID) rather than a password cannot be unlocked, and the tool says so.
Does unlocking change the document?
Only the protection is removed. Text, fonts, images, bookmarks, links and form fields are decrypted and written back as they were. Nothing is turned into an image, so the text stays selectable and searchable.
What happens to digital signatures?
A digital signature covers the exact bytes of the signed file. Removing the encryption rewrites the file, so viewers will report the signature as no longer valid. Keep the original if you need to prove the signature.
Is it legal to remove a PDF password?
Removing the password from your own documents, or from a file you were given the password for, is the normal use. Do not use it to get around restrictions on documents you are not entitled to edit or copy.
Limitations
- A PDF that asks for a password on opening can only be unlocked with that password or the owner password.
- Certificate-protected PDFs (digital ID) and DRM systems such as FileOpen or LockLizard are not supported.
- Digital signatures stop validating once the file is rewritten.
- Very large files are limited by your device's memory, since everything happens in the browser.