About the Unlock PDF
Remove the password from a PDF when you know the password, or remove printing, copying and editing restrictions from a PDF that opens without one. You get an ordinary copy that opens anywhere without asking.
This tool doesn't guess or crack passwords. Everything happens in your browser: the PDF and the password are never uploaded.
How it works
The tool opens the file with the password you type and writes a decrypted copy. Pages, text, images, fonts, form fields and bookmarks stay exactly as they were; only the encryption is removed. The copy is checked before you get it: it must open without a password and have the same number of pages.
Some PDFs open without a password but block printing, copying or editing. Those restrictions are stored with the encryption, and removing the encryption removes them too. Only do this for files you're allowed to change.
Assumptions and limits
- You need the password for PDFs that ask for one. A wrong password is rejected, and you can try again.
- Works with the encryption PDF apps use: RC4 40-bit and 128-bit, AES-128 and AES-256.
- Files up to 50 MB.
- The original file isn't changed; you download an unlocked copy.
Worked examples
A bank statement you open every month
Choose the statement, type the password the bank gave you, and download statement-unlocked.pdf. It opens without asking from now on.
A form you can't print
A PDF that opens normally but has printing blocked shows 'This PDF opens without a password but has restrictions (printing blocked)'. Press 'Remove restrictions' and the copy prints.
Mistyped password
The page says the password doesn't open the file, keeps it loaded and lets you type it again. Passwords are case-sensitive.
How to use the Unlock PDF
- Choose the PDF. The page checks what kind of protection it has.
- Type the password. Only if it needs one; restrictions alone don't need a password.
- Download the unlocked copy. It opens anywhere without a password.
Frequently asked questions
Can it unlock a PDF if I don't know the password?
No. A PDF that asks for a password when you open it can only be unlocked with that password. The tool doesn't guess or crack passwords; ask the person who sent the file for it.
Why can it remove restrictions without a password?
A PDF that opens without a password is already readable by any app; its printing and copying limits are a request to the app. Removing the encryption removes that request. Only do this for files you're allowed to change.
Is my file or password uploaded?
No. The file is decrypted in your browser on your device. Neither the PDF nor the password is sent to our server or stored anywhere.
Does unlocking change the content?
No. Pages, text, images, fonts, form fields and bookmarks stay exactly as they were. Only the encryption and the restrictions are removed, so the copy may be slightly smaller.
Which kinds of encryption are supported?
All the standard PDF ones: RC4 40-bit and 128-bit (older files), AES-128 and AES-256 (current files). Files protected with certificates or a company's rights-management system can't be unlocked here.
This tool runs entirely in your browser. What you enter or upload stays on your device and is never sent to our servers.