You have probably noticed that some PDF files come with password protection and other restrictions that prevent content from being opened, edited, copied, or printed. The ability to protect important documents and decide who may access them is why many people choose the PDF format, for both business and personal use.
When you want to quickly access information from a PDF or print it for offline use, password protection can be inconvenient. This article will show you how to unlock a PDF file and remove a PDF password by using PDF2Go's free Unlock PDF online tool.
The Unlocking Process
PDF2Go's online tool can remove your password in just a few seconds. The password will be removed immediately, and you will be able to view and edit your PDF file again.
Follow this simple step-by-step guide:
- Go to our Unlock PDF Unlock PDF tool page.
- Upload a password-protected PDF document.
- Enter the PDF password.
- Click "Set Password".
- Click "Start".
Good to know
As you can see, removing password protection from a PDF is easy. Simply upload your PDF file, enter the password, and it will be unlocked in a few seconds.
However,
- this only works with Adobe PDF documents;
- if the PDF file is strongly encrypted (as with PDFs protected with our Protect PDF tool), you can only unlock the file by entering the correct password.
Usually, there are two kinds of passwords that can be used to protect a PDF: an open password (user password) and a permission password (owner password).
The open password is used to restrict opening and viewing the document. The permission password protects PDF content from printing, copying, and modifying.
Our Unlock PDF tool can unlock a secured PDF protected by either type of password. Since our services run in your web browser and work on all major platforms (Windows, Linux, macOS), you can unlock PDFs wherever you are: at the office, at home, or on the go.
Can I lock the PDF again?
Yes. If you want to password-protect a PDF file, go to our Protect PDF tool page. Upload the document again and we will encrypt it for you. Be sure to remember or save your new password, because once your PDF is secured, you will need it to unlock the document.
TIP: When creating a password, remember that it should be at least eight characters long. We recommend using a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. The more characters and symbols your password contains, the stronger it is. Using abbreviated phrases is also a good idea.
Is this process secure?
Yes. When uploading files to PDF2Go, your files are encrypted and transferred securely. You can delete your file from our server immediately after the conversion. Otherwise, all transferred files are automatically deleted after 24 hours.
During this time, your file privacy is guaranteed because no one else can access the file except you. PDF2Go does not back up or actively monitor your files: the service is completely automated.
