How to unlock a PDF file
- 1.
Open the PDF
Drop the file onto the area above or choose it from your device. The tool checks right away whether it has an open password, restrictions, or no protection at all.
- 2.
Enter the password if the file asks for one
Type the password and click "Unlock PDF". If it is wrong you will see a message and can try again.
- 3.
Lift restrictions on a file that opens without a password
When the file opens on its own but blocks printing, copying or editing, the tool shows the type of encryption and the list of restrictions. Click "Remove protection".
- 4.
Download the copy
The copy has the same content and page count but no password and no restrictions. Your original is not changed.
Which PDF protections can be removed
A PDF can carry two kinds of protection, and the tool treats them differently.
| Protection | What you see | What the tool does |
|---|---|---|
| Open password | The viewer asks for a password before showing the document | Saves a copy without a password, but only after you enter the correct one |
| Restrictions (owner password) | The document opens, but printing, copying text or editing is switched off | Saves a copy without restrictions, with no password needed |
A file with restrictions only is encrypted with an empty open password, which is why a viewer opens it without asking, and its content is readable once opened. The restrictions themselves are flags stored in the file. That is why they are not a hard security measure: only the open password protects the content.
A forgotten or wrong open password
The tool does not crack passwords. It has no dictionary, tries no combinations and does not get around the encryption. The content of a file with an open password stays encrypted until you enter the right one.
- The password for a file from a bank, an agency, an employer or a shop is usually described in the message that came with the file or in the service terms. Check there.
- Upper and lower case matter, and a space at the start or end is part of the password. Type it by hand instead of pasting it from a message.
- If nobody knows the password, ask the sender for a new file or for the password.
What changes in the file after unlocking
The tool saves a new copy. Pages, text and images stay the same, and only the encryption goes away. Before you download, you see which encryption and which restrictions were removed, and the copy is checked: it has to open without a password.
The copy is made by saving the document again, so digital signatures in the original may stop being valid. If a signature matters legally, keep the original.
Unlock your own documents or ones you have the right to change. The author may have blocked copying or printing for copyright or confidentiality reasons.
What to do with the unlocked file
A file without protection can go straight into Merge PDF, Compress PDF, Sign PDF or Add watermark to PDF. Editing tools cannot open a file that has a password. If the file should go back into circulation with a password, set a new one in Password protect PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Will this tool crack a PDF password?
+
I forgot the password to my PDF. Can it be recovered?
+
How do I remove the print or copy restriction from a PDF?
+
Why can a file with restrictions be unlocked without a password?
+
Which PDF encryption is supported?
+
Are my file and password sent to a server?
+
Will an unlocked PDF keep its digital signature?
+
How large a file can I unlock?
+
Updated: