Remove print, copy and edit restrictions from your PDFs - or the open password you already know.
Every file is checked in your browser first, so you see what is locked before anything is uploaded. Unlocked it and still too big? Shrink it with Compress PDF.
Only unlock PDFs you own or have permission to unlock. We never guess or crack passwords.
Checking your PDFs...
Next steps: merge the unlocked files, split out the pages you need, or stamp your own mark with PDF Watermark.
Can open the file but not print it? That is a permissions lock - no password needed, it unlocks in seconds.
PDF security comes in two layers, and they behave very differently.
| Lock | What you notice | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Permissions lock (owner password) | The PDF opens, but printing, copying, editing or page changes are greyed out | Nothing - unlocks without a password |
| Open password (user password) | Your reader asks for a password before showing anything | The password - you type it once |
| Certificate encryption | Opens only with a digital ID installed on one computer | Cannot be unlocked here |
The permissions lock is only a polite request to PDF readers - anyone who can open the file can read it. That is why it can be removed without a password, and why it is the most common reason people get stuck.
The tool reads the permission flags of each PDF and shows the blocked ones as red chips before you unlock.
Printing at all, or printing only in low quality.
Selecting and copying text and images - handy for quotes and data.
Changing content, adding comments, filling forms and moving pages.
After unlocking, all of them are gone and the PDF has no password at all. Want to add your own protection mark instead? Use PDF Watermark.
This tool is for your own files: statements, invoices, payslips, school papers, contracts you signed and PDFs you made yourself and forgot the settings of.
Do not use it to get around copy protection on documents you have no rights to - like paid e-books or licensed reports. We do not crack forgotten passwords, and we never keep your file or password.
Yes. A PDF that opens without a password but blocks printing, copying or editing has a permissions lock (also called an owner password). Drop it in the box and press Unlock - no password is needed.
The tool shows exactly which restrictions your file has before you unlock it.
Only for PDFs that ask for a password before they even open (an open password). Type it into the row of that file - it is checked right in your browser, so a typo is caught instantly.
Permissions-only locks need no password at all.
No. This tool does not guess, crack or bypass open passwords. If you no longer know the password, ask the person or company that sent you the file for a new copy.
That keeps the tool on the right side of the law - and your documents safe from everybody else too.
Unlocking a PDF you own, or one you have permission to change, is normally fine - for example your own bank statements, invoices or a contract you signed. Removing restrictions from someone else's copyrighted document without permission may break the law or a licence.
Only unlock PDFs you own or have permission to unlock. We cannot give legal advice - when in doubt, ask the document owner.
No watermark, no added pages. Our server removes just the encryption when it can, so text, images, links and form fields stay exactly as they were.
If a file has to be rewritten instead, the result card says so - text and images stay, but fillable form fields may become flat. Need a smaller file afterwards? Try Compress PDF.
Yes. Add up to 20 PDFs (50 MB each). Every file gets its own row with its lock type and restrictions, and its own password box if it needs one. Three or more unlocked PDFs download together as one ZIP.
Your PDF is sent over HTTPS to our server only for the unlock and is deleted right after it unlocks. Unlocked copies are removed automatically within 4 hours. Files that are not locked are never uploaded at all.
A password you type is checked in your browser first, used once for the unlock and never stored or logged.
A few PDFs use certificate (public key) encryption or a broken structure that cannot be opened with a password. The tool tells you when that happens. You can also try opening the file in your PDF reader and saving a copy - sometimes that repairs it.