Lock / Unlock PDF
Protect a PDF with a strong AES-256 password, or remove the password from a PDF you can already open, so it opens without asking. It never guesses or breaks passwords.
How to use
- 1Choose your PDF or drag it in. The tool shows whether it already has a password and opens the right tab.
- 2To lock: type a new password twice. If you want, add a separate owner password that's needed to change or remove the protection later.
- 3To unlock: type the password you already use to open the PDF (or the owner password, if the PDF has restrictions).
- 4Press “Lock PDF” or “Unlock PDF”, then “Download PDF”. Your original file is not changed.
FAQ
Is my PDF or my password sent anywhere?
No. Locking and unlocking happen inside your browser, on your own phone or computer. Neither the PDF nor the password ever reaches our server.
Can this tool open a PDF if I forgot the password?
No. It only removes a password you already know. It doesn't guess, crack or bypass passwords. If you've lost the password, ask the person or office that sent you the PDF for it, or for a new copy.
How strong is the protection?
The PDF is encrypted with AES-256, the strongest method in the PDF standard. It opens in Adobe Reader, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, phone PDF viewers and all modern readers, and only with the password. Use at least 8 characters, mixing letters and numbers.
What is the owner password?
The open password is what readers type to open the PDF. The owner password is a second password that's needed to change or remove the protection, for example in Adobe Acrobat. If you don't set one, the open password does both.
Why does unlock ask for the owner password?
Some PDFs also have restrictions set by their owner, such as no printing or no copying. Removing the protection would remove those restrictions too, so it needs the owner password. To only add or change restrictions, use PDF Permissions.
Will my bank or office still accept the unlocked PDF?
The unlocked copy has the same pages, text and pictures; only the password is gone. Keep the original if you need the exact file you received, and store the unlocked copy safely because anyone can open it.