How to use it
- Choose or drop the protected PDF.
- If the file only has restrictions and no open password, the unlocked copy is ready straight away.
- Otherwise enter the password you use to open the file and select Unlock PDF.
- Download the copy without a password. The original file is not changed.
How it works
The tool opens the PDF with the password you enter, using the open-source @cantoo/pdf-lib library, and saves a new copy without encryption and without permission restrictions. It supports the standard PDF security handler: RC4 40/128-bit and AES-128/256 (all PDF versions up to 2.0). Either the open (user) password or the permissions (owner) password works.
Files protected with certificates (public-key security) or with a third-party DRM plug-in cannot be opened. The tool never tries to guess, brute-force or bypass a password: without the correct password it cannot decrypt the file.
Use it only for files you own or are authorised to unlock, for example your own bank statements or documents a colleague shared with the password. Digital signatures in the file become invalid because the file is rewritten. How large a file you can unlock depends on your plan.
Examples
Monthly bank statement
Your bank sends statements protected with your customer number. Unlock the PDF once with that number so you can archive it or merge it with other statements without typing the password every time.
Printing is blocked
A form you received opens without a password but cannot be printed. Choose it here and the copy without restrictions is ready immediately.
Frequently asked questions
Can this tool unlock a PDF if I forgot the password?
No. It needs the correct password and never attempts to guess or crack one. Ask the sender for the password or for an unprotected copy.
Why does it say the password is wrong when I am sure it is right?
Passwords are case-sensitive and spaces count. Some senders use a different password to open the file than the one in their email; try both. Copy-pasting can also add an invisible space at the end.
Is removing restrictions legal?
That depends on your rights to the document. Unlock only files you own or are allowed to modify, and respect copyright and agreements with the author.
Does unlocking change the content?
No. Text, images, fonts and pages stay the same; only the encryption and the permission flags are removed. Digital signatures stop being valid because the file is saved again.
Privacy
The PDF and the password stay in your browser. Decryption runs with JavaScript on your device; nothing is uploaded or stored, and the password is not included in analytics. Only an anonymous event that the tool was used is counted.