How it works

Unlock a PDF you have permission to open. If it only has owner-restrictions (no read password), leave the password field blank.

Two paths. If the PDF has owner-restrictions only (e.g. printing or copying disabled, but it opens without prompting), leave the password field blank and the tool rewrites the file via pdf-lib with restrictions removed, full-quality, no re-rendering. If the PDF has a read password and you know it, type it in, the tool decrypts via pdf.js and rebuilds each page as a JPEG-rasterized PDF (this is the only safe in-browser path for AES-encrypted PDFs). The rasterized variant is larger and not selectable, but it works. There's no brute-force, you must know the password. Built for unlocking files you legitimately own (your own scans, your own statements), not for cracking other people's documents.

How to use it

1. Drop the locked PDF. Drag in a PDF you have permission to open.
2. Enter the password if it has one. Leave the field blank for owner-restricted files that open without a prompt.
3. Unlock. Hit Unlock — restrictions are stripped locally; password-protected files are decrypted and rebuilt.
4. Download the unlocked PDF. The file downloads with restrictions removed; your password never leaves the browser.

Frequently asked questions

How do I remove a password from a PDF I own?

Drop the PDF, type the password (or leave blank if it only has owner restrictions), hit Unlock. The unlocked PDF downloads.

Does this brute-force the password?

No. You must know the password. There's no guessing, no dictionary attack.

Will the unlocked PDF have selectable text?

Yes if the file had owner-restrictions only. No if you supplied a password: the output is rasterized JPEG pages.

Is unlocking a PDF online safe?

It is when no upload is involved. This tool unlocks locally via pdf.js and pdf-lib, your file and your password never leave your browser.