Free · no signup · nothing uploaded
Unlock PDF
Remove a PDF's password, or lift the restrictions that block printing and copying — right in your browser, no upload.
Choose a password-protected PDF
or drop your file here.
The password is removed in your browser — nothing is uploaded
Runs in your browser — your file is never uploaded.
Short answer
To unlock a PDF, choose your file and download the unlocked copy. If the document asks for a password to open, enter it; if it opens already but won’t print or copy, leave the box blank — those are owner restrictions and lift without one. It runs in your browser, so the file and the password never leave your device. It cannot recover a forgotten password.
Unlock PDF guides
How to unlock a PDF
- 1Open the tool. Open the unlock PDF tool — no signup.
- 2Choose your PDF. Select or drop the protected file.
- 3Enter the password. Only if the PDF asks for one to open.
- 4Download. Save the unlocked PDF, free of restrictions.
PDF password encryption levels
| Key length | Algorithm | What it stops | When to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40-bit | RC4, 40-bit | Casual opening only | Obsolete — breakable in minutes. Legacy readers only. |
| 128-bit | RC4 or AES, 128-bit | Opening, printing, copying | Widely compatible, still sound for everyday use. |
| 256-bit (default) | AES, 256-bit | Opening, printing, copying | Strongest available; the default here. Needs Acrobat 9+. |
Key lengths are read directly from what this tool passes to its encryption engine. The algorithm and restriction columns describe the PDF specification and how PDF readers behave, not measurements of this tool. A PDF carries two passwords: a user password to open it, and an owner password that governs printing and copying — most readers, but not all, honour owner restrictions.
Frequently asked questions
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?+
No. The PDF is unlocked entirely in your browser using a WebAssembly build of qpdf. The file and the password never leave your device, which also means the tool keeps working with your network disconnected.
Can this recover a password I've forgotten?+
No, and it never will. This tool removes a password you already know, or lifts owner restrictions that need no password at all. Recovering an unknown password means cracking the encryption, which we deliberately do not build.
The PDF opens fine but won't let me print or copy. Can you fix that?+
Yes — that's an owner password, and it's the most common reason people look for an unlock tool. The document itself isn't locked, only its permissions are. Drop it in and the restrictions are removed without any password.
Why does it say the password is invalid?+
PDF passwords are case-sensitive, and a PDF can carry two different ones: a user password that opens it and an owner password that governs printing. If the file opens without a prompt, leave the password box blank — supplying a wrong one will fail.
Is removing a PDF password legal?+
Removing protection from your own documents, or ones you're authorised to use, is normal practice. Circumventing protection on material you have no rights to may not be lawful where you live. You're responsible for how you use the tool.
Does unlocking change the contents?+
No. The pages, text, images and layout are untouched — only the encryption layer is removed. Streams may be recompressed, so the file size can differ slightly from the original.
Are there PDFs this can't unlock?+
Yes. Certificate-based (public-key) encryption and some digitally signed documents aren't supported, and a PDF whose user password you don't know can't be opened at all. In each case the tool tells you rather than producing a broken file.
Related tools
Your PDF is unlocked entirely in your browser and is never uploaded. This tool removes protection using a password you supply, or lifts owner restrictions that require none — it does not crack or recover unknown passwords. Only remove protection from documents you own or are authorised to use. Provided free and ad-supported, without warranty.