Unlock PDF
Remove a password from a PDF you can open.
Runs in your browser. Your files never leave your device.
- Batch unlock several PDFs
- AES-256 encrypted PDFs supported
- Nothing uploaded
How to unlock a PDF
- Drop your password-protected PDF files here.
- Type the password that opens them.
- Download the unlocked PDFs.
What unlocking removes
PDF passwords come in two kinds. An open password stops the file from being viewed at all without it. An owner password leaves the file readable but blocks actions like printing, copying text or editing, and PDF apps enforce that quietly without always telling you a password is involved.
| Your situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| You know the password that opens the file | Type it here to remove it permanently from your copy |
| You forgot the password | This cannot help. There is no reliable way to recover or guess a lost PDF password |
| The file opens with no password, but printing or copying is blocked | Leave the password field empty and run Unlock PDF. These restrictions usually sit behind a blank open password |
The check and the decryption both run locally using qpdf compiled to WebAssembly, so the password and the file content never leave your device.
Why unlock a PDF
- Stop retyping a password every time you or a colleague opens an archived file.
- Prepare a file for another tool here, like Merge PDF or Compress PDF, since encrypted PDFs cannot be processed directly.
- Remove printing or copying restrictions from a form or statement you received once the password is no longer needed.
Unlock PDF FAQ
I forgot the password. Can this recover it?
No. This removes a password you already know. There is no way to recover or guess a forgotten PDF password here or anywhere reliable.
Is my PDF uploaded to unlock it?
No. The password check and unlocking both happen inside your browser, so the file and its password never leave your device.
What if my PDF has no open password, just restrictions?
Leave the password field empty. Many restricted PDFs, like ones that block printing or copying, use a blank open password, and this removes those restrictions too.
Can I unlock several PDFs that share a password at once?
Yes. Drop them all in, type the password once, and download them individually or as a ZIP.
What encryption does this support?
AES-256, the same strong encryption used by Adobe Acrobat and most PDF software. The engine behind this tool, qpdf, also opens older 128-bit encrypted PDFs as long as you give the correct password.
Does unlocking change anything else in the PDF?
No. Only the encryption is removed. The pages, text, images and layout stay exactly as they were.
Is there a file size limit?
No fixed limit. Very large PDFs depend on your device's memory, since the file is processed locally rather than on a server.