Unlock Your PDFs
Remove Password Protection
Remove password protection from PDF files. Enter the known password and download a clean, unlocked copy. Choose to process on your device (100% private) or on our server (faster on weak devices).
Drop your PDF here
or click to browse
Privacy First
Your PDF never leaves your device. All processing happens privately on your device.
Batch & Folder
Add multiple files or an entire folder. Download all unlocked PDFs as a single ZIP.
Print Without Saving
Preview the unlocked PDF and print directly—no need to download first.
Everything You Need to Unlock PDFs
Our PDF Unlocker includes all standard features plus exclusive capabilities you won't find elsewhere.
Remove PDF restrictions: printing, copying, editing, page extraction
PDF password unlocker removes owner-level password security
Unlock PDF files with known user-level password protection
Add file(s) and Add folder options for batch password removal
Adobe Acrobat is not required to remove PDF document password
Remove comment security from PDF documents
Remove document assembly security from PDF files
Remove signature security and enable form filling in PDF
Print locked PDF documents independently (no download needed)
Compatible with all Windows versions (32 & 64 bit)
Mac PDF unlocker removes password and unlocks PDF on Mac
Preview unlocked PDF before downloading
Batch download all unlocked PDFs as a single ZIP file
Strip metadata (author, title) for privacy
Use PDF Lock tool to add restrictions to PDFs
PDF Unlocker Tool for Protected PDF Files
Commonly Secured PDF Documents Unlocked by the Tool are Shown Below
Bank Statement PDFs
Receipts Bills
Aadhar Card PDF
PDF Contracts & Agreements
PDF Forms
Journals & e-books
What Is PDF Unlocking?
PDF unlocking is the process of removing password protection and permission restrictions from a PDF document so it can be freely opened, printed, copied, and edited. When a PDF is locked, it may require a password just to view (an “open password”) or it may open normally but restrict certain actions like printing, text copying, or editing (a “restriction password”). Our PDF Unlocker handles both scenarios, producing a clean, unrestricted copy of your document.
Unlike offline software that requires downloading and installing an application on your computer, our online PDF Unlocker processes everything on your device. Your sensitive documents and passwords are never transmitted over the internet. You get the convenience of a web-based tool with the security of fully private processing.
It is important to understand that this tool requires you to know the correct password. It does not crack, brute-force, or bypass encryption. It is a legitimate utility for PDF owners who want to remove protection they originally set, organizations that need to lift restrictions on documents they are authorized to modify, and professionals who need unprotected copies for downstream workflows like merging, converting, or archiving.
How to Unlock a PDF Online
Remove password protection in four simple steps — no software, no sign-up, no uploads.
Upload Your Locked PDF(s)
Drag and drop your password-protected PDF file(s) into the upload area, or click to browse. In Batch mode, add multiple files or select an entire folder. The tool accepts any standard PDF document.
Enter the Password (if needed)
Type the password that was used to lock the PDF. If the file only has restriction passwords (no-print, no-copy) but opens normally, leave the password field empty. Optionally enable metadata stripping for extra privacy.
Click "Unlock PDF"
Choose Process on device (100% private, no upload) or Process on server (faster on weak devices). The tool decrypts each page, rebuilds the document without encryption, and prepares a clean copy. Watch the progress bar as it processes. For batch mode, all files are processed sequentially.
Download, Preview, or Print
Download your unlocked PDF(s), preview in-browser before saving, or print directly without downloading. In batch mode, download individual files or get all as a single ZIP.
What This Tool Can Do
A comprehensive set of capabilities designed for every PDF unlocking scenario.
Remove Open & Owner Passwords
Enter the known password and instantly produce a clean PDF that opens without any credentials. Removes both user and owner-level password security. Perfect when you need to share a document without distributing passwords.
Remove All PDF Restrictions
Lift printing, copying, editing, page extraction, comment security, document assembly, signature security, and form-filling restrictions. Leave the password empty for restriction-only PDFs that open without a password.
Batch Unlock & Add Folder
Add multiple PDF files or select an entire folder at once. Process dozens of documents in one go and download all unlocked PDFs as a single ZIP file. No Adobe Acrobat required.
Preview & Print Without Saving
View the unlocked PDF in your browser before downloading. Print locked PDFs directly—no need to save first. Unique feature not found in most PDF unlocker tools.
Process on Device or Server
Choose Process on device for 100% private processing—your file never leaves your computer. Or choose Process on server for faster unlocking on weak devices; the file is uploaded, processed, and returned. Option to strip metadata (author, title) for extra privacy.
Works on Mac & Windows
No software to install. Use the PDF Unlocker in any modern browser on Windows (32 & 64 bit), Mac, Linux, or mobile. Compatible with all operating systems—just open the page and go.
Free vs Paid — PDF Unlocker
Get started free, upgrade when you need more power.
Unlock the Full Power of PDF Unlocker
Remove daily limits, process larger files up to 500 MB, enable batch processing, and get priority support.
PDF Tools includes:
- 21 PDF tools included
- Unlimited daily uses
- 100 MB file size limit
- Batch processing
- Sign, Redact, OCR, Watermark
- All export formats
Also available in the All Tools Bundle
Questions from Real Users
See how others use the PDF Unlocker and get answers to common questions.
“I received a PDF from my accountant that requires a password every time I open it. I know the password but want to save a copy without it. Will this tool remove the open password permanently?”
Sarah Mitchell
Freelance Designer, Austin, USA
Absolutely. Once you enter the correct password and click Unlock, the tool creates a brand-new PDF that contains all the same pages but has zero encryption. You can open, print, and share the unlocked copy without ever entering a password again. The original locked file stays untouched on your device, so you still have it if needed.
OnlinePCTools Team
Verified Response
“My office received a batch of contract PDFs that are locked for editing and copying. We have the owner password. Can this tool remove those restrictions so we can extract text and annotate?”
James Park
Operations Manager, London, UK
Yes, this PDF Unlocker removes both open-password and permission-restriction locks. Enter the owner password (or leave blank if the file opens without one), and the output PDF will have all restrictions lifted — you can copy text, add annotations, fill forms, and print freely. Your confidential contracts are never uploaded anywhere.
OnlinePCTools Team
Verified Response
“I have a large 200-page PDF report that is password-protected. I'm worried the tool will crash or take forever. How does it handle big files?”
Priya Sharma
Research Analyst, Mumbai, India
The tool is built to handle large documents efficiently. For PDFs over 50 pages, it automatically reduces the rendering scale to balance speed and quality. You will see a real-time progress bar showing which page is being processed. A 200-page PDF typically takes 2–4 minutes depending on your device. Just keep the tab open until it finishes.
OnlinePCTools Team
Verified Response
“Is my data safe? I'm unlocking financial documents with sensitive information. I don't want my files stored on some server.”
Marco Bianchi
Financial Advisor, Milan, Italy
Your data is completely safe. This tool processes everything on your device — your PDF and password are never sent to any server. Once you close the tab, nothing remains. There are no cookies, no tracking, and no server-side storage of any kind.
OnlinePCTools Team
Verified Response
“I forgot the password to a PDF I created last year. Can this tool crack it or help me recover the password?”
David Chen
Software Developer, Toronto, Canada
Unfortunately, no. This tool is designed for legitimate unlocking — it requires you to know and enter the correct password. It does not crack, brute-force, or bypass PDF encryption. If you have lost the password, try checking your password manager, email archives, or the application you used to create the PDF. Once you recover the password, this tool will instantly remove it for you.
OnlinePCTools Team
Verified Response
Who Needs a PDF Unlocker?
Common scenarios where unlocking a PDF saves time and removes frustration.
Business Professionals
Unlock contracts, invoices, and reports so your team can edit, annotate, or merge them into combined documents for clients and stakeholders.
Students & Researchers
Remove copy restrictions from research papers and academic PDFs so you can highlight text, take notes, and cite passages in your own work.
Legal & Compliance Teams
Unlock legal filings and compliance documents for review, redaction, or submission to regulatory portals that don't accept encrypted PDFs.
IT Administrators
Batch unlock documents for migration to new document management systems, digital archives, or automated processing pipelines that require unencrypted input.
Content Creators
Unlock PDF brochures and design files to extract images, reuse layouts, or convert pages to images for social media, presentations, and websites.
Archivists & Librarians
Remove outdated password protection from historical documents and records to make them accessible for long-term digital preservation and public access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about unlocking PDFs online.
Is this PDF Unlocker completely free?
Are my files uploaded to a server?
What if I don't know the password?
Can I unlock a PDF that only restricts printing or copying?
Will the unlocked PDF look exactly like the original?
Can I unlock multiple PDFs at once?
Can I print without downloading?
Is it legal to unlock a PDF?
What devices are supported?
How long does it take to unlock a PDF?
Explore More PDF Tools
Unlock your PDF, then use these tools to merge, compress, convert, or edit it further.