What is PDF Unlock?

PDF Unlock removes the password protection from a PDF document when you know the current password. Enter the password to decrypt the file and download an unprotected copy you can freely open and share. Your file and password never leave your device.

The unlock runs locally: pdfjs-dist opens the encrypted file with the password you supply, each page is rendered to a canvas, and pdf-lib rebuilds a fresh PDF from those page images. The encrypted file and your password never leave your device. Because the new PDF is image-based, the visual layout is preserved exactly but the text inside is no longer selectable or searchable. This works well for bank statements, payroll slips, and shared invoices where you just need to open or send the file. It is not the right tool when you need to copy text out of the document or run search.

How to use

1. Upload the password-protected PDF file
2. Enter the current password used to protect the document
3. Click unlock to remove the protection and download the unencrypted PDF

When to use

• Removing a shared password from monthly bank or brokerage statements before archiving.
• Decrypting payroll PDFs so they open in mobile readers that fail on encryption.
• Stripping a password from documents before merging them into a single combined PDF.

Result

You received a password-protected quarterly-report.pdf with a shared password. Upload the file, enter the password, and download an unlocked version you can open freely without entering a password each time.

FAQ

Does this tool crack PDFs when I don't know the password?

No. You still have to type the correct user password yourself for files that are locked behind one — the tool decrypts the file with the password you supply, the same way Acrobat does, with no guessing, brute-force, or bypass. The only exception is owner-restricted PDFs that have no open password at all (just print or copy restrictions): we detect those and lift the restrictions in one click without asking for anything.

Will the unlocked PDF still ask for a password when I open it?

No — the unlocked copy has the encryption layer stripped, so any reader opens it directly without a password prompt. One trade-off: pages in the new file are images rather than live text, so you cannot select or search the text inside it. The layout looks identical to the original.

What about owner-password protections like 'no printing' or 'no copying'?

There are two cases. If the file also has an open password, decrypting it with that password strips the restrictions along with the encryption, so you can print, copy text, and annotate freely. If the file only has owner restrictions and no open password at all, the tool detects that on upload and removes the restrictions in one click — no password to type.

Why does it say 'PDF is not protected' on my file?

The tool scans for the /Encrypt dictionary entry. If it's missing, the file isn't actually encrypted, so there is nothing to unlock. The PDF may just have view-only metadata or DRM applied by a separate viewer.

Why is the text not selectable in the unlocked PDF?

Encrypted PDFs cannot be unlocked privately without re-rendering each page. The tool draws every page to a canvas, then rebuilds the PDF from those page images. That is why the file opens with no password but its text becomes non-searchable. If you need OCR or selectable text, run the unlocked file through a separate OCR tool afterwards.

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