Two kinds of PDF passwords
PDFs can be locked two different ways, and the difference matters.
Open password
Required to even view the file. The PDF is encrypted on disk and can't be opened without the password. AES-256 by default in modern PDFs — practically unbreakable without the password.
Permissions password (owner password)
The PDF opens for anyone, but printing, editing, copying, and signing are restricted. The permissions password lifts the restrictions. Many PDFs only set this — that's why a 'locked' PDF often opens fine but won't let you edit.
When you can remove the password
- You set the password yourself — easy, you know it.
- Someone shared the password with you — easy, they know it.
- You forgot your own password — hard. Try every variant you commonly use; if it's a permissions password, some PDFs are removable without it.
- The PDF is from someone else and they didn't share the password — don't try to crack it. That's typically illegal under DMCA Section 1201 and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
Step-by-step (when you know the password)
- Upload the PDF to our editor.
- Enter the password when prompted.
- Choose 'Save without password' from the export options.
- Download the new, unprotected PDF.
What we won't do
We don't crack passwords. Modern PDFs use AES-256 encryption, which is computationally infeasible to brute-force without the key. More importantly, removing a password you don't have is usually illegal — even if you 'own' the PDF in some sense. If you're locked out of your own document, contact the original sender.