How to unlock a PDF
- Select the protected PDF or drop it onto the page.
- Enter the document's password when asked. If the file opens without a password but has restrictions, confirm that you have permission to remove them.
- Click unlock. The file is decrypted in your browser.
- Download the unlocked PDF.
You need the password
This tool removes protection from PDFs you are entitled to open. Bank statements, payslips and utility bills are often protected with a password such as a date of birth or account number, which is secure in transit but tedious to type every time. Enter the password once, and you get an identical copy that opens without one.
We do not crack, guess or bypass passwords. If you do not know the password, this tool cannot open the file, and no honest tool can promise to recover strong PDF passwords. Ask the sender for the password or for an unprotected copy.
Open passwords and permission passwords
PDFs can have two kinds of protection. An open password is needed to view the document at all. A permissions password lets anyone view the file but restricts printing, copying or editing. For files with only restrictions, the tool asks you to confirm that you own the document or have permission to change it before removing them.
Private decryption
Decryption is performed in your browser by qpdf, an open-source PDF engine, so neither the document nor its password is sent anywhere. Keep the unlocked copy somewhere safe, since anyone with the file can now open it. To protect it again with your own password, use Protect PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Can you unlock a PDF if I forgot the password?
No. We never bypass or crack passwords. You need the correct password to unlock the file.
Is my password sent to your server?
No. The password is used only in your browser to decrypt the file.
What if the PDF opens without a password but I can't print it?
It has permission restrictions. If you own the document or are authorised to change it, the tool can remove them after you confirm.
Will unlocking change the content?
No. The unlocked copy has the same pages and content, just without encryption.
Is the file uploaded?
No. Everything happens locally in your browser.