Can this unlock a PDF without the password?

Only if the PDF isn't actually encrypted — i.e. it opens normally and merely restricts printing or copying. Genuinely encrypted files require the correct password; the encryption is cryptographic and Convertora doesn't attempt to break it.

What's the difference between an open password and an owner password?

An open (user) password encrypts the document — without it the file is unreadable. An owner password only enforces restrictions on an otherwise readable file. This tool handles both: enter the password for the first kind, leave it empty for the second.

Is my password sent anywhere?

No. The unlock runs entirely in your browser; the password decrypts the file in memory and is discarded. No server ever sees the file or the password.

Why do I get 'incorrect password' on a password I'm sure is right?

Check for case sensitivity, trailing spaces, and easily-confused characters (O vs 0, l vs 1) — PDF passwords are exact. If it still fails, the file may have been re-encrypted with a different password than the one you were given.

Unlock PDF

Remove password protection and restrictions from PDF files.

Drop PDF files here or browse

Max 100MB per file

About Unlock PDF

PDFs can carry two kinds of protection: an open password that encrypts the file so it can't be read at all, and owner restrictions that allow reading but block printing, copying, or editing. Convertora's unlock tool removes both — provided you're entitled to. For encrypted files you must supply the password; this is not a password cracker, and it makes no attempt to guess or brute-force anything.

The interesting case is restriction-only PDFs. Plenty of documents open fine but refuse to print or let you copy a paragraph — they're not actually encrypted with a password you'd know, just flagged with restrictions. For those, leave the password field empty: the tool detects the situation and produces an unrestricted copy directly.

Decryption happens entirely in your browser. The password is used in memory to decrypt the file and is never transmitted, logged, or stored anywhere — a meaningful difference from upload-based unlock services, where you're handing both a confidential file and its password to a stranger's server.

How to use it

1Upload the protected PDF (up to 100 MB).
2Enter the password — or leave the field empty if the PDF opens normally but blocks printing or copying.
3Click Unlock. Encrypted files are decrypted with your password and rebuilt without encryption; restriction-only files are re-saved with the restriction flags dropped.
4If the password is wrong, you'll get a clear error rather than a corrupted file — check it and try again.
5Download the unlocked copy, saved with an -unlocked suffix. It opens everywhere without prompting.

Common use cases

Removing the password from your own bank statements or payslips before filing them, so future-you doesn't need to remember it.
Lifting print restrictions from a document you legitimately need a paper copy of.
Preparing a protected file for other tools — encrypted PDFs can't be merged, split, or edited until unlocked.
Decrypting an archive of password-protected invoices after a supplier emails you the shared password.

Frequently asked questions

Tips

Unlock first, then edit: tools like Merge, Split, and Watermark need an unencrypted file to work on.
If you're stripping a password for convenience, consider where the unlocked copy lands — an unencrypted statement in your Downloads folder is only as private as your device.

100% private — runs in your browser

Convertora processes everything on your device using JavaScript and WebAssembly. Files never leave your browser, are never uploaded to a server, and are never seen by us or anyone else. The moment you close the tab, the data is gone — there is no temporary cloud copy, no log entry, no retained backup.

Because the work happens locally, processing speed depends on your device — but there are no rate limits, no daily caps, and no file size restrictions beyond what your browser can handle in memory. No signup, no account, no payment. The tool works the same in incognito mode, on a corporate network, or after the page has loaded once, even with the network disconnected.