How to Remove a Password from a PDF

To remove a password from a PDF, open the Unlock PDF tool, choose the file, type the password you already have, and download the new copy. The copy opens without a password.

This only works when you know the password. The tool does not guess, crack or bypass passwords, and no honest tool can open a strongly protected file for you.

What you need

• The password-protected PDF
• The correct password. If you do not know it, see the section below on forgotten passwords.
• About a minute

Steps to remove a password from a PDF

1. Open the Unlock PDF tool and tap the box. Choose the PDF that asks for a password. The file stays on your device and is not uploaded.
2. Type the current password in the password box. The tool can show the password as you type, so you can check for typing mistakes.
3. Tap Remove the password. If the password is correct, the tool makes a new copy of the PDF that opens without one.
4. Download the copy and open it. It should open straight away, with no password prompt.
5. Keep the original protected file if the content is sensitive. The unlocked copy can be opened by anyone who has it, so store it carefully and delete it when you no longer need it.

Why you might want to remove a password

For documents that are yours and that you use often, such as a bank statement or a form, a password on every open is a nuisance. A copy without a password is easier to:

• merge with other PDFs,
• sign or fill in,
• split into the pages you need,
• or send to someone who has no reason to need the password.

Many tools that work on PDF files cannot open a protected file at all. If you try, they say the file is protected. Removing the password first solves that.

Two kinds of PDF passwords

A PDF can have two different kinds of protection, and it helps to know which you have.

• An open password. The PDF asks for a password every time you open it. This is what the tool removes, when you type the right one.
• A restriction. The PDF opens freely but does not allow printing, copying or editing. This tool does not remove those restrictions.

If you are not sure which one you have, open the file. If it asks for a password, it has an open password.

What if I forgot the password?

The tool cannot help you. It works only when you type the correct password, and there is no feature that tries to guess it.

Here are things that often work:

• Check where the password came from. Banks and offices often use a pattern, such as a date of birth or an account number part, and they explain it in the email or letter that came with the file.
• Look in your password manager or old messages.
• Ask the sender or the office that made the file. They can send a new copy or tell you the password.

If the file is yours and was protected with a strong password you have lost, it may be gone. That is how real protection is meant to work.

Do this only for files you may open

Remove a password only from files that belong to you, or that you have permission to change. Do not use it to get into somebody else’s private documents. If a file was protected to keep its content private, be careful where you send the unlocked copy.

Common problems

It says the password is wrong. Check capital letters, spaces and look-alike characters such as the number 0 and the letter O. Use the show-password option to check what you typed.

It says the file does not have a password. Then there is nothing to remove. Your file may only have restrictions, or may not be protected at all.

The new copy has a different name. The tool adds a short label to the file name so that you can tell it apart from the original.

I need the password back on afterwards. Use Protect PDF to lock the copy again with a new password.

Frequently asked questions

Can this unlock a PDF if I forgot the password?

No. It only works when you type the correct password. It does not crack or bypass passwords. If the password is lost, ask the person or office that made the file.

Is my password sent anywhere?

No. The password and the file stay in your browser on your device. Nothing is uploaded, and the password is not stored.

Does the original file change?

No. The original stays as it is. You get a new copy without the password.

What if the PDF has restrictions but no password?

Some PDFs open freely but do not allow printing or copying. This tool does not remove those restrictions. It only removes a password that you type.

Will the unlocked PDF look the same?

Yes. The pages are not redrawn. Text and images stay as they were, only the password is gone.