Remove Password from PDF
To remove a password from a PDF, drop the file here, type the password and click “Remove password”. You get a PDF without a password that opens, prints and copies anywhere. It only works if you know the password, and everything runs in your browser – nothing is uploaded.
Source: Adobe – ISO 32000-1:2008 Document management – Portable document format (PDF 1.7). Updated: .
How it is calculated
A PDF can carry two kinds of password. The open password is asked for when the file is opened; the permissions password only blocks printing, copying or editing. Even if you know the open password, typing it every time is a nuisance for bank statements, payslips or contracts. Here you turn the file into an ordinary PDF.
How it works
- Drop in the PDF. The tool shows whether a password is needed or whether there are only printing, copying or editing restrictions.
- Enter the password (for restrictions only, leave the field empty) and confirm you are allowed to do this.
- Click “Remove password” and download the new file.
What happens technically
Decryption is done by Mozilla’s pdf.js using the standard methods from ISO 32000 (RC4, AES-128 and AES-256) – we did not write any cryptography of our own. Each page is then drawn and placed as an image into a new, unencrypted PDF. An invisible text layer on top keeps searching, selecting and copying working. Web and mail links, title and author are kept.
Honest limits
- No cracking: without the right password nothing happens. The tool does not guess or try passwords.
- Because the pages are rebuilt, form fields, bookmarks, attachments and digital signatures are lost and the file gets larger. Compress PDF can win some of that back.
- A lossless route often exists in your browser: open the PDF there, enter the password, choose “Print” and save as PDF. The file stays intact, but you need a program with a print dialog.
- Scanned pages contain no text that could be copied – removing the password does not change that.
Need to change something afterwards? Use Edit PDF.
Frequently asked questions
How do I remove the password from a PDF?
Drop the PDF here, enter its password and click “Remove password”. The new file opens, prints and copies without a password.
Can I unlock a PDF without knowing the password?
No. An open password cannot be bypassed and this tool does not try. If the PDF opens without a password and only has printing or copying restrictions, none is needed.
What is the difference between an open and a permissions password?
The open password stops the file from being read at all. The permissions password lets you read it but blocks printing, copying or editing.
Does the text stay searchable after removing the password?
Yes, as long as “Keep text searchable” is on. The pages are placed as images with the text invisibly on top.
Why is the new PDF larger?
Every page is rebuilt as an image. The 150 dpi setting keeps the file smaller, and Compress PDF helps further.
Is my PDF or password uploaded?
No. Unlocking happens entirely in your browser. Neither the file nor the password is sent or stored.
Sources and legal basis
- Adobe – ISO 32000-1:2008 Document management – Portable document format (PDF 1.7)
- pdf-lib – Andrew Dillon (MIT)
- pdf.js – decryption of password-protected PDFs (Mozilla, Apache-2.0)
- pdf.js 6.3.289 licence (Apache-2.0)
- Open-source licenses of the libraries used (MIT, LGPL-3.0)
As of: · Editorial policy
Related tools
- Edit a PDF in Your BrowserEdit a PDF without uploading it: add text, images and your signature, highlight, redact securely and fill in forms. Free, no sign-up, no watermark.
- Compress PDFCompress PDF files in your browser – several at once, down to a target size if needed. Text stays text, size shown before and after. Free, no upload.
- Sign a PDFSign a PDF in your browser: draw, type or upload your signature, place it on the page and save. Free, no account, and the document is never uploaded.
- Flatten PDF forms and commentsFlatten a PDF: burn filled-in form fields and comments into the pages so nothing shifts or can be edited. Keeps text searchable. Free, right in your browser.
- Merge PDF filesMerge PDF files into one: drop PDFs, JPG and PNG, drag them into order, pick pages like 1-3, 5, rotate and download. No upload, no sign-up, no watermark.
- QR Code Generator – free and permanentQR code generator for links, Wi-Fi, contacts (vCard), email, SMS or phone – add colors and a logo, download PNG or SVG. Never expires, no tracking, no sign-up.
- Compare PDF FilesCompare PDF files: choose two PDFs and see every text difference highlighted, with a page overview – right in your browser, free and without any upload.
- Image to Base64 ConverterConvert an image to Base64: copy a data URL, HTML img tag, CSS background, Markdown or JSON, resize first if needed – and decode Base64 back to an image.
- Mockup GeneratorFree mockup generator: put your logo or design on a t-shirt, hoodie, mug, shop sign, business card, laptop, phone or poster – in perspective, no upload.