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Unlock PDF

Remove the password from a PDF you can already open — enter the password and download an unlocked copy. Everything happens in your browser, nothing uploaded.

Drop a PDF, or choose one

Your PDF and password are processed entirely in your browser — nothing is uploaded.

Remove the password from a PDF you can already open — type the password, download an unlocked copy, done. It runs entirely in your browser, so the file and password never leave your device. This unlocks a door you have the key to; it does not pick locks.

How to remove a PDF password

  1. Drop or choose the password-protected PDF.
  2. Enter the current password — the one you use to open it.
  3. Click Unlock PDF and download the unlocked copy.

Keep the protected original if you still need it; this gives you a separate, password-free copy.

What this tool does and doesn’t do

It decrypts a PDF using the password you provide — the same thing your PDF reader does when you type the password to open it, except the result is saved without the password. It is not a cracker: it can’t recover a password you’ve forgotten or open a document you don’t have the password for. Strong PDF encryption (AES) is designed to be unbreakable without the key, and no honest tool claims otherwise. If you’ve lost the password to your own file, it’s genuinely gone.

Private by design

Decryption happens on your device via qpdf compiled to WebAssembly — your PDF and password are never uploaded. For a file worth protecting, that privacy is the point. Need to add a password instead? Use protect PDF.

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Frequently asked questions

Does this crack or bypass PDF passwords?
No. This tool removes a password from a PDF you can already open, by entering that password — the digital equivalent of unlocking a door you have the key to. It cannot recover, guess, or bypass a password you don't know. If you've genuinely lost the password to your own file, there is no way (here or elsewhere) to break strong PDF encryption.
Why would I remove a password I know?
Convenience and compatibility. A password you have to type every single time is tedious for a file you open constantly, and some tools or workflows (printing services, document systems) can't handle encrypted PDFs. Removing the password on a copy you control fixes both — keep the protected original if you still need it.
Is my PDF or password uploaded?
No. Decryption runs entirely in your browser using qpdf compiled to WebAssembly. Your file and the password you enter never leave your device — which is exactly what you want when the document was worth protecting in the first place.
The password isn't working — why?
Enter the exact password you use to open the PDF in a normal reader (it's case-sensitive). If that password opens it in Acrobat or Preview but not here, the file may use an unusual encryption variant — but in almost every case, a rejected password simply means it doesn't match. This tool can't proceed without the correct one.
Does removing the password change the PDF?
Only the encryption is removed — the pages, text, and layout are untouched. You get the same document, minus the password prompt. The tool preserves the content; it doesn't re-render or re-compress anything.

Related tools

Protect PDF

Password-protect a PDF with strong AES-256 encryption — set a password to open it, right in your browser. The file and password are never uploaded.

Compress PDF

Shrink PDF file size by recompressing embedded photos and scans — text stays sharp and selectable. Free, private, no upload.

Merge PDF

Combine multiple PDF files into one document in your browser — free, no signup, and your files are never uploaded.

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