Unlock / Decrypt PDF - Free Online Browser Tool

Open a PDF that is locked against editing and save an unrestricted copy.

Sometimes a document is readable but locked: forms cannot be filled in, pages cannot be edited, and it saves with restrictions intact. That lock is not encryption when the file opens without a password, and it comes off cleanly. This tool opens the document and saves an unrestricted copy.

This unlock / decrypt pdf utility runs completely inside your web browser. Your document is opened locally and processed on your own device using JavaScript and WebAssembly, so your file is never uploaded to any server. There is no signup, no watermark and no limit on how many documents you can handle.

  • 100% client-side - files never leave your device
  • Instant processing, no upload wait
  • Works on desktop, tablet and mobile
  • Free forever, no account required

Common next steps: Inspect Security & Permissions, Flatten PDF (Make It Permanent).

How to Use the Unlock / Decrypt PDF Tool

Four steps, and the whole thing runs locally on your own device.

  1. Load the locked PDF

    Drop in the document you need to work with.

  2. Supply a password only if you are asked

    If the file needs a password before it will open at all, that password is required and is used only in this tab. A file locked only against editing opens with the box left blank.

  3. Remove the restrictions

    The permission flags and owner-password lock are dropped, so forms and pages can be edited freely.

  4. Download the unlocked PDF

    The unrestricted document saves and behaves like a normal PDF in any reader.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this bypass a password I do not know?

No. If the document needs a password to open, that password is real encryption and cannot be guessed or bypassed. This tool removes restriction flags from files you can already open, and decrypts files you have the password for.

Do I need a password at all?

Usually not. Most locked files are locked against editing rather than opening, so they load with the password box left blank. Only supply one if the file refuses to open without it.

Is it legal to unlock a document?

Unlocking a document you own or are authorised to modify is routine. Doing so to someone else’s protected document may be unlawful or a contract breach.

Does unlocking remove the permissions as well as the password?

Yes. Both the encryption and the restriction flags are cleared, so the output has no security settings left on it.

Does this upload my document?

No. Everything happens in your browser, which matters for exactly the documents people most need to keep private.