Unlock a PDF
Save a copy of a protected PDF that opens without a password and has no print or copy limits. You need its password.
Processed on our server, then deleted
Drop a protected PDF here
Or drag it anywhere on this page. Up to 10 MB.
Sent to our server for this one job, then deleted. Never stored or logged.
One PDF up to 10 MB. You need its password (or none, if it only restricts printing or copying); this tool doesn't crack passwords. Processed on our server, then deleted. 10 free server jobs a day per person, shared by all server tools.
How to remove a password from a PDF
- Choose the protected PDF, up to 10 MB, or drag it onto the page.
- Type its password. If the PDF opens without one but won't print or copy, leave the box empty.
- Press Unlock PDF, then download the unlocked copy.
What unlocking does
A protected PDF is encrypted. With the right password, our server opens it with the open-source qpdf library and writes a copy without the encryption and without the owner's restrictions on printing, copying and editing. The pages themselves don't change.
Tips
- Keep the protected original if you'll need to send it securely again, or protect the copy later with Protect PDF.
- Once unlocked, the file works with every PDF tool here, such as Merge PDF and Split PDF, which run in your browser.
Questions
Are my PDF and password uploaded?
Yes. Unlike most tools on this site, this one runs on our server: your PDF and the password are sent over HTTPS, the encryption is removed, and the unlocked copy is sent straight back to your browser. The file and the password exist on the server only while the job runs, in memory and in a private temporary folder that is deleted the moment the job ends. We never store or log the file or the password.
I forgot the password. Can this tool open the PDF?
No. It only removes protection with a password that opens the file. It doesn't guess or crack passwords, and we have no way to recover one.
My PDF opens fine but won't print or let me copy. What do I do?
That PDF has an owner password that sets restrictions but no password to open it. Leave the password box empty and press Unlock PDF: the copy has the restrictions removed.
Am I allowed to unlock a PDF?
Only unlock files you own or have the right to use without restrictions, such as your own bank statements or documents shared with you along with the password.
Why can't the other tools open my PDF?
Most tools on this site, and many other apps, refuse encrypted PDFs. Unlock a copy here first, then merge, split, compress or edit it.
Is there a limit?
Files up to 10 MB, and 10 free server jobs a day per person, shared by all of our server tools. Only jobs that succeed count, so a wrong password doesn't use one up. The count resets at midnight UTC.
What is the human check?
Before a job runs, Cloudflare Turnstile checks that a person, not a bot, is using the tool. It is usually invisible; sometimes it asks you to tick a box.