PDF Tools

Unlock PDF — Remove Password

Save a copy of a password-protected PDF that opens without the password, and remove printing, copying and editing restrictions. Your file and password stay on your device.

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Drop a PDF here or

Your file never leaves your device. Everything happens in this browser tab: no upload, no server copy.

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Put this free Unlock PDF on your own website — copy the code below and paste it into your page's HTML.

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How to remove a password from a PDF

  1. Drop the protected PDF onto the box or click "Choose PDF".
  2. If the PDF only has restrictions (no password to open it), they are removed straight away and the unlocked copy downloads.
  3. If it needs a password to open, type it and click "Unlock PDF". The unlocked copy downloads and opens without a password from then on.

Two kinds of PDF passwords

An open password (also called a user password) is needed before anyone can view the document. Banks, payroll systems and utilities often send statements protected this way. Typing the password every time is tedious, and some apps cannot open protected files at all, so unlocking a copy you keep privately saves time.

A permissions password (owner password) lets anyone open the file but blocks printing, copying text or editing. These restrictions open without a password here and are removed automatically, which is useful for forms you need to fill in or print.

How it works

The PDF is decrypted in your browser using the password you type, which supports AES-256, AES-128 and older RC4 encryption. A new copy is then written without encryption. Neither the file nor the password is sent anywhere. If you forgot the password, this tool cannot help: it does not try to guess passwords.

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Frequently asked questions

Is my password sent anywhere?

No. The password is used only inside this browser tab to decrypt the file, and it is not stored.

Can you unlock a PDF if I forgot the password?

No. This tool needs the correct password. It does not try to guess or crack passwords.

What encryption does it support?

Standard PDF encryption: AES-256, AES-128 and RC4, which covers files made by Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Office, Preview and most banks.

Will the unlocked PDF look the same?

Yes. Pages, text, images, links and form fields are kept; only the encryption is removed.

Is it legal to unlock a PDF?

Removing a password from your own documents, or ones you have permission to change, is fine. Do not use it to get around restrictions someone else set on their work.

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