How to use
Drop the password-protected PDF or click “Choose files”. The encryption method and whether a password is needed to open it are shown.
Enter the password. Either the password to open the file (user password) or the one that manages restrictions (owner password) works. Use “Show” to check what you typed.
Click “Remove protection”. If the password is wrong, it says so clearly and you can type it again.
Save the unlocked PDF as “name_unlocked.pdf”. The page count and the result of reading the saved file back are shown.
A PDF that opens without a password but has editing / printing limits is unlocked only when you enter the owner password.
What it does
User or owner password
The password that opens the file or the owner password that manages restrictions both unlock it. The result tells you which one you entered.
The common encryption methods
Supports the standard security handler: RC4 40-bit and 128-bit, AES 128-bit and AES 256-bit (revisions 5 and 6).
Verification only, never guessing
Your password is only checked against the verification data stored in the PDF. There is no password guessing, dictionary or brute-force feature.
A wrong password is stated plainly
You see “Wrong password” and can type it again straight away. What you type is neither stored nor sent.
Read back after saving
The saved PDF is loaded again to confirm no encryption remains and to count pages. Everything runs in your browser; the PDF is never sent anywhere.
Use cases
- Save a copy without the password you set yourself and are tired of typing
- Unlock a password-protected PDF shared with you, within your permissions, before organizing, merging or annotating it
- Remove printing, copying or editing limits from a PDF whose owner password you know
- Keep archive copies as plain PDFs without passwords
Supported formats
Input
Output
Capability matrix
| Feature | Support | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Unlock with the user password (password to open) | Supported | — |
| Remove editing / printing / copying limits with the owner password | Supported | — |
| RC4 40/128-bit and AES 128/256-bit | Supported | Standard security handler, revisions 2 to 6 |
| PDFs that open without a password but have limits | Partial | Limits are removed only when you enter the owner password |
| Password guessing, cracking or brute force | Not supported | Not provided. Only works if you know the password |
| Removing limits without a password | Not supported | The owner password is required |
| PDFs encrypted with a certificate (public key) | Not supported | Stops and tells you why |
| Non-standard encryption and damaged PDFs | Not supported | Stops and tells you why |
| Keep digital signatures valid | Not supported | The file is rewritten, so signatures become invalid |
| Batch processing | Not supported | One file at a time |
Limits & notes
- Up to 200 MB per file. Large files can take tens of seconds.
- PDFs whose password you do not know cannot be unlocked. Passwords are never guessed or cracked.
- Because the file is rewritten, digital signatures become invalid and earlier revisions (incremental updates) are not carried over.
- Certificate-encrypted PDFs (Adobe.PubSec) and security handlers other than the standard one are not supported.
- Non-ASCII passwords (for example Japanese) are handled differently by different PDF versions. If it fails, try the password exactly as you typed it in the app that created the file (width, case).
Privacy & safety
Loading, checking the password, decrypting and saving all happen in your browser. The PDF, the password you type and file names are never sent to or stored on a server, and are not part of usage analytics.
FAQ
Can this open a PDF whose password I forgot?
What files may I use it on?
What about a PDF that opens freely but blocks printing or editing?
What is the difference between the user and owner password?
Does the content of the PDF change?
Are my password and PDF sent anywhere?
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