Unlock a PDF When You Know the Password
Remove supported PDF restrictions in your browser. This tool does not crack unknown passwords, and the downloaded file is a new unprotected copy.
How to remove a PDF password — 3 steps
- 1
Add the locked PDF
Drop the protected PDF into the box above. A readable owner-restricted file may not need a password; an open-password file usually does.
- 2
Enter the password
Enter the known opening password if the editor asks for it. This tool does not guess, crack, or brute-force unknown passwords.
- 3
Download the unlocked copy
Download the new unprotected PDF, then check its pages and document features before storing or sharing it.
Known passwords and PDF restrictions
PDFs can have an open password, which stops the file from being viewed, and an owner password or permissions setting, which can restrict printing, copying, or editing after the file opens. They are different protections.
This tool does not crack or brute-force an unknown password. If the file requires an opening password, enter one you are authorised to use. A file that only has owner restrictions may open without a password and can be saved as a new copy with those restrictions removed.
Some encryption types or unusual PDFs may not be supported by the browser libraries. If the editor cannot open the file, the result may be an unsupported-encryption error rather than a recovered document.
What to check after downloading
The result is a new unprotected PDF. For files that opened directly, the editor copies the pages into a new document. For password-required files, it may use a rasterized JPEG fallback, so text selection, bookmarks, metadata, forms, signatures, annotations, and other advanced features may not survive unchanged.
Open the downloaded copy and check the page count, text, links, and any important form or signature content. Keep it in a secure location because removing protection makes the file easier to open and share.
Unlocking is not the same as removing metadata. Unlocking changes the file's access restrictions; metadata removal clears fields such as title, author, and creator. Use the metadata tool separately if those properties also need cleaning.
Your files never leave your device
The PDF and any password are handled in your browser. The file is not uploaded to our server.
Most online PDF sites upload your document to their servers, process it there, and keep a copy for minutes, hours, or longer. PilotPDF works differently: the page downloads a small processing engine into your browser, and your file is opened and edited in your device's memory using WebAssembly. Nothing is transmitted, so there is nothing for a server to store, leak, or scan. You can even disconnect from the internet after the page loads and the tool keeps working.
Read more about how this works in our privacy-by-design explainer.