The online PDF unlocker tool ensures only users with permission can make changes. So, you can confidently unlock PDFs, while keeping your workflows smooth and your data protected.
Learn how to unlock PDF files by removing password security when you no longer need it with Adobe.
Have a PDF file with password protection that is no longer needed? With Adobe Acrobat on your desktop, unlocking your PDF is as easy as removing the password.
Quickly remove a password from a PDF document you’ve created when password protection is no longer needed. Just type in the owner password, then opt to remove the PDF security. Now you have an unlocked PDF.
Not just anyone can unlock your PDF. Only people with permission can remove restrictions. If the PDF is secured with a server-based security policy, only the policy author or a server administrator can change it.
Get more out of Adobe Acrobat with these tips:
£14.99/mo incl. VAT
Annual, billed monthly plan, cancel within 14 days for a full refund. Windows and Mac.
Convert, edit, e-sign, protect.
£19.97/mo incl. VAT
Annual, billed monthly plan, cancel within 14 days for a full refund. Windows and Mac.
Our most comprehensive PDF solution with full convert and edit capabilities, advanced protection and powerful e-signature features.
At Adobe, we’re serious about protecting your personal information. To ensure your account details are safe, we use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), an industry standard for encrypting private data over the Internet.
No, you can’t unlock a PDF without a password if it’s password-protected. You usually need the permissions password to unlock PDFs using tools like Adobe Acrobat.
If you don’t have the password but can still view the document, you can create an unprotected copy by printing it to a new PDF. Keep in mind this version will be locked for editing, meaning you won’t be able to edit the text.
Password protection limits who can open a PDF by requiring a password to access it. Encryption, however, goes a step further by scrambling the file’s contents so they can’t be read without the proper decryption key, usually the same password. Most password-protected PDFs are also encrypted, but encryption refers specifically to the way the file’s content is secured, not just restricted.
When you remove the password protection from a PDF with Adobe Acrobat, you will also unencrypt the document.
You can only open a password-protected PDF if you know the password. So, you’ll need to make sure you have this before trying to open a password-protected PDF.
Once you have the password, you can also choose to unlock the PDF – so long as you have the permissions required.
