Unlock PDF Permissions
Remove print, copy and edit restrictions from a PDF that opens without a password, free and entirely in your browser.
- Add
- Adjust
- Make
- Keep
How to use this tool
- Add the PDF whose print, copy, or edit restrictions you want removed. It must open in a viewer without asking for a password.
- Tick the confirmation box to affirm that you are authorized to remove these restrictions on this document; the tool will not run without it.
- Run the tool and download the unlocked copy. This app processes the file on your device; it is never uploaded to a server.
About this tool
Remove print, copy and edit restrictions from a PDF that opens without a password, free and entirely in your browser. It rewrites the file without the restriction flags after you confirm you may modify it. A PDF that asks for a password to open needs Remove Password. Nothing is uploaded.
Privacy & limitations
This tool removes permission restrictions (printing, copying, editing) from a PDF that opens without a password. If the file asks for a password to open, use Remove Password with the password you know; nothing here guesses or cracks passwords. A PDF with no restrictions is rejected, because there is nothing to unlock and the tool never hands back an untouched file as if it had changed it. Any existing digital signature on the document becomes invalid after the file is rewritten, and very large files can run out of memory on a phone. Removing restrictions is only appropriate when you own the file or have the rights to modify it. This app never assists with circumventing protections on documents you are not authorized to modify.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I unlock a PDF that won't let me print or copy text?
Add the PDF, confirm you are authorized to modify it, and run. If it opens in a viewer without asking for a password, the tool rewrites it without the print, copy and edit restrictions, and you download the unlocked copy. It all happens in your browser, so nothing is uploaded.
What if my PDF asks for a password to open it?
Use Remove Password instead and enter the password you know. This tool is for restrictions on a file that opens freely, and it stops with a clear message when a password is needed. It never tries passwords or breaks into protected files.
What is the difference between Unlock PDF and Remove Password?
A PDF can have an open password, which blocks viewing, and permission restrictions, which only block actions such as printing or copying. Unlock PDF clears restrictions on a file that already opens. Remove Password clears the open password when you can supply it.
Is it okay to remove restrictions from a PDF?
Only on files you own or have the right to modify, such as your own report or a document whose author allows it. The tool asks you to confirm this before it runs. Rewriting the file also invalidates any digital signature it carried.