Adobe Acrobat

Unlock your PDF file in seconds.

Learn how to unlock PDF files by removing password security when you no longer need it.

Start free trial

Do you have a protected PDF file with password protection that is no longer needed? With Adobe Acrobat on your desktop, it’s easy to unlock your file - all you need to do is remove the password. Read on to find out how to access a locked PDF.

It's easy.

Unlocking a PDF is easy.

Quickly remove PDF password security from a PDF document you created if you no longer need the protection. Just type in the owner password, then opt to remove the PDF security. Now you have an unlocked PDF.

It's secure.

But don’t worry - it's also secure.

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.

How to unlock a PDF to remove password security:

  1. Open the PDF in Acrobat.
  2. Use the Unlock tool:
    Choose Tools > Protect > Encrypt > Remove Security.
  3. Remove Security:
    The options vary depending on the type of password security attached to the document.
    • If the document has a Document Open password, click OK to remove it from the document.
    • If the document has a permissions password, type it in the Enter Password box, then click OK. Click OK once more to confirm the action.

Are free PDF unlockers safe?

There are some websites that will claim to be able to unlock a PDF for free. When it comes to using these services, we recommend researching them thoroughly to ensure you’re not exposing your data or your device to external threats.

As well as raising privacy issues, using these tools can put you at risk of data collection, fraud, malware, and other security concerns.

When you use Adobe Acrobat to unlock your PDF files, you can rest assured that your documents are comprehensively protected by our secure software. Learn more about security in Acrobat and PDFs.

Want to know how to lock your PDF? Password protect your PDF files now.

Choose the Acrobat plan that works for you.

https://main--dc--adobecom.hlx.page/dc-shared/fragments/shared-fragments/pricing-pods/standard-pro-know