What Unlock PDF does
Unlock PDF removes password protection from a document when you know the password. Banks, employers and service providers often send statements and payslips as locked PDFs; typing the password every time is tedious, and locked files cannot be merged, compressed or edited. Enter the password once here and download an unprotected copy.
How to unlock a PDF
- Add the protected PDF.
- Type the password that opens it.
- Press the button.
- Download the unlocked copy. It opens without a password from now on.
What this tool will not do
It does not crack, guess or bypass passwords. If you do not know the password, the tool cannot open the file, and neither can we. This is deliberate: password protection exists to keep documents private.
If you have forgotten a password, look at the message the document came with — senders usually explain the format, for example a combination of your date of birth and part of an account or ID number — or ask the sender for a new copy.
Use only on documents you may open
Removing protection from your own documents, or from files you are authorised to use, is fine. Do not unlock documents you have no right to access. See our Terms of Service.
Use cases
- Preparing statements for your accountant or a loan application, where the reviewer should not need your password.
- Merging several protected statements into one file.
- Compressing a protected document to meet an upload limit.
- Printing or annotating a file whose restrictions get in the way.
- Archiving personal documents without having to remember each password.
Open password and permission restrictions
| Type | What you notice | What unlocking does |
|---|---|---|
| Password to open | The file asks for a password every time | Removes the prompt |
| Permission restrictions | The file opens, but printing, copying or editing is blocked | Removes the restrictions |
In both cases you need the document's password.
After unlocking — handle with care
The unlocked copy has no protection at all. Anyone who gets the file can read it.
- Store it somewhere private, and delete copies you no longer need.
- If you will forward it, consider protecting it again with a password of your own using Protect PDF.
- Before sharing, redact details the recipient does not need, such as account numbers.
Common problems
“Incorrect password”. Check capital letters, and the difference between 0 and O or 1 and l. If the password is made of personal details, check the exact format in the sender's message.
The file opens without a password but will not print. It has permission restrictions. Unlock it with the document's owner password.
Privacy
The password and the PDF stay in your browser. They are not uploaded to our server.