Unlock PDF
Remove the protection from a PDF so you can open, print, or edit it without typing the password every time.
Drop your file hereTap to choose your file
or click to choose · paste with Ctrl+VPDF · up to 300 MB
Processed on your device: nothing is uploaded
Use it on your own files or with the owner’s permission. This tool does not guess passwords: you need to know the one that opens the file.
This PDF asks for a password to open
Enter it to remove the protection. The new file will open without a password.This PDF opens without a password, but it has restrictions
It limits some actions. If you remove them, the new file will have no limitations.This PDF is not protected
It has no password and no restrictions, so there is nothing to remove. You can use it directly with the other tools.Unlocked PDF
How to use it
- Drop your PDF into the box or choose it from your device. The tool checks what kind of protection it has.
- If it asks for a password to open, enter it. If it only has restrictions (for example, it does not allow printing), you do not need any password.
- Select “Unlock PDF” or “Remove restrictions.”
- Download the new file, now without protection. The original is not modified.
Frequently asked questions
Are my PDF or my password uploaded to a server?
No. The file is processed inside your browser with a tool that downloads together with this page. Neither the PDF nor the password leaves your device.
Can I open a PDF if I forgot the password?
No. This tool does not guess or crack passwords: you need to know the one that opens the file. If you do not have it, ask whoever sent it to you. If the PDF only has restrictions and opens without a password, you can remove them.
What is the difference between a password to open and restrictions?
The open password prevents anyone from viewing the document. Restrictions let you view it but limit actions such as printing, copying the text, or editing it. With “Remove restrictions,” the PDF ends up without any of those limits.
Is it legal to remove the protection from a PDF?
Use it on your own files or with the owner’s permission. Removing the protection from someone else’s document to get around its terms may violate copyright or usage agreements.
Does it lose quality or change the content?
No. The text, images, and layout stay the same: only the encryption is removed. The unlocked file may weigh slightly differently because it is written again.
It says my PDF is not protected. Why?
Because it has no password and no restrictions, so there is nothing to remove. If another program asks for a password when you open it, it may have been saved with a different kind of protection; try again or check that it is the right file.
Two kinds of protection
A PDF can be protected in two ways. The first is the open password: without it, nothing can be seen. The second is permission restrictions: the file opens without a password, but it does not allow printing, copying the text, or editing it. This tool recognizes which one your file has and asks only for what is needed.
When it helps
- You received a bank statement or a pay stub with a password and you do not want to type it every time you open it.
- You need to merge, compress, or organize a PDF, and those tools require a file without a password.
- One of your own documents will not print because it was saved with restrictions.
Be careful with the unlocked file
Anyone who has a PDF without a password can read it. If it contains personal data, protect it again with “Protect PDF” before sending it or saving it to the cloud.
Updated on September 30, 2026