Unlock PDF — remove the password.
Drop a password-protected PDF and we strip the encryption. Owner-restriction PDFs unlock automatically; PDFs that need a password to open need that password — typed once, never leaves your tab.
- ✓ Stays in browser
- ✓ No signup
- ✓ Password never leaves tab
Want to edit more on this PDF?
Sign, redact, watermark, autofill · stays in your browser
- Printing — pending
- Copying — pending
- Editing — pending
- Comments — pending
- Form-filling — pending
- Page assembly — pending
Two kinds of locked. We handle both.
PDFs have two passwords: a User password (gates opening the file at all) and an Owner password (gates editing, printing, copying — you can still read it). We detect which one is set and prompt only when needed.
User password (open)
You'll be prompted. The password stays in your tab — no upload, no log. After we decrypt, output saves without it.
Owner password (restrictions)
Auto-unlocks. Owner restrictions are advisory in the PDF spec — every reader can already ignore them. We just rewrite the file without the flag.
Detection up front
You see the encryption type, PDF version, and the exact restrictions before you click Unlock. No surprises.
AES-128 · AES-256 · RC4
Every standard PDF encryption variant from PDF 1.4 onwards. Modern (PDF 1.7+ / AES-256) and legacy (RC4-40 / 128) both supported.
Wrong password? Tells you.
If the password doesn't decrypt, we say so — no silent corrupt-file output. Try again or try a different encoding.
Output is unencrypted
The downloaded PDF has no password and no restrictions. Open in any reader, print, copy, edit freely.
How it works.
- Step 01
Drop the PDF
Drag the encrypted PDF or click to browse.
- Step 02
Detect the lock type
We read the encryption dictionary and tell you whether you need a password or not.
- Step 03
Type password (if needed)
Owner-only PDFs skip this step. User-password PDFs unlock once you type the right password.
- Step 04
Download
Unprotected PDF saves locally. Original untouched.
Your password never leaves your tab.
Removing a password is one of the most sensitive things you can do to a PDF — it's exactly the kind of operation people upload to random sites every day. We don't ever see the bytes, the password, or the unlocked output. Open DevTools, watch the Network tab, and verify.
- Password handled only in client-side WebCrypto
- No file upload — verifiable in DevTools
- No account, no email, no rate limit
- No watermark on the unlocked output
- Works offline after first visit
About unlocking PDFs.
What's the difference between a User password and an Owner password?
A User password is required to OPEN the file at all — the bytes are encrypted, you can't read anything until it's typed. An Owner password only restricts what you can DO with an open file (print, copy, edit). You can already read the file. Owner restrictions are advisory in the PDF spec; almost every PDF reader respects them as a courtesy, but the underlying bytes aren't actually encrypted in the same hard sense, so we strip them in one click without needing a password.
What if I forgot the password?
We can't recover it. PDF encryption (especially AES-256) is genuinely strong — without the password the file is mathematically unreadable. Brute-force tools exist for short / weak passwords but those run for hours-to-days and we deliberately don't ship one in v1. Try saving the password from your password manager, or contact whoever sent you the file.
Is it legal to remove a password from a PDF?
It depends on jurisdiction and on whether you're authorised. Removing a password from your own document or one you have permission to modify is fine. Bypassing protection on a document you don't own — even when technically possible — may run afoul of computer-misuse or copyright laws. We provide the tool; you're responsible for using it lawfully. If in doubt, get the password from the document owner.
What encryption methods are supported?
All standard PDF encryption: RC4-40 (PDF 1.4), RC4-128 (PDF 1.5), AES-128 (PDF 1.6), and AES-256 (PDF 1.7 with extension level 3 / 8). Custom security handlers (rare; used by some DRM platforms) are not supported — they aren't part of the PDF spec.
Why can't I print/copy from my PDF when it has no password?
That's the Owner-only case. The author set restrictions but no User password — the file opens for everyone, but the reader you're using respects the print/copy block. Drop it here and we'll auto-unlock it without prompting for a password.
Will the unlocked PDF still have my fonts and forms?
Owner-only and user-encrypted PDFs come out as rasterised pages (each page becomes a JPEG) in v1 — vectors and AcroForm fields aren't preserved. This is because in-browser PDF decryption with vector preservation requires a much heavier crypto toolchain than we ship today. Unprotected PDFs (re-saved through the tool with no password) keep all their vectors and forms intact.
Does this work on signed PDFs?
Yes for opening — encryption and signatures are independent. But removing the password rewrites the file, which invalidates any document-level digital signatures applied before encryption. If signature validity matters, sign AFTER unlocking, not before.
Need to do more than this?
Open the full editor for signing, redaction, watermarks, autofill, and the rest of the toolbelt — same file, no upload, no signup.