Send a confidential document
Encrypt a contract, payslip or medical report with AES-256 before it goes out by email or messenger.
Files never leave this device
For passwords you know
Unlock a PDF with the password you already know.
Create a working copy without password protection by entering the file's correct password. This tool does not crack, bypass or recover passwords you don't know.
Reading files…
What it solves
Stop retyping a password you already know.
A protected PDF asks for its password at every open, and most tools refuse to touch it at all. This tool takes the password you know, verifies it, and uses qpdf in your browser to export a copy with the protection removed — all on this device, with nothing uploaded. A wrong password gets a clear error so you can try again, and a file that was never encrypted gets an honest notice instead of a fake result.
To be explicit: this tool only works with the correct password. It cannot crack, bypass or recover a password you do not know.
Common uses
Work on your own locked file
Make an unlocked working copy of a PDF whose password you know, so you can merge, edit or print it without retyping the password.
Rescue a broken file
Rebuild a truncated download or a scan with a broken structure, and see exactly how many pages survived.
Quick guide
Protect, unlock or repair — always on this device.
- 01Add the PDF. It is read on this device only; nothing is uploaded anywhere.
- 02Set what the task needs: a new password to protect, the file's known password to unlock — a repair needs no input at all.
- 03Run the action. qpdf, compiled to WebAssembly, does the work inside your browser.
- 04Read the honest result report and download the new copy. The original file on your device is never touched.
Limits worth knowing
Honest about what it cannot do.
- 01
Unlock only removes protection when you provide the correct password. It cannot crack, bypass or recover a password you do not know.
- 02
If you protect a file and later lose the password, this tool cannot restore access. Store the password somewhere safe.
- 03
Some damaged files are beyond repair. When that happens, the tool says so instead of exporting a garbled document.
- 04
Very large files are limited by the memory this device can spend on a browser tab.
Frequently asked questions
Unlocking a PDF — FAQ.
01Do my file and password leave this device?
No. qpdf runs as WebAssembly inside your browser, so the file and any password you type are processed on this device and sent to no server.
02Can it remove a password I don't know?
No. Unlock produces an unprotected copy only when you enter the file's correct password. It does not crack, bypass or recover unknown or forgotten passwords.
03How strong is the protection?
Protect encrypts with modern AES-256. The practical strength depends on the password you choose — and this tool cannot recover a lost one.
04What happens when a file cannot be repaired?
The repair reports exactly how many pages could be rebuilt. If the structure is too far gone, the tool declares the file unrepairable rather than producing garbage — and your original stays untouched either way.
Related tools
Keep working on the document.
01 / PDF
All PDF toolsProtect PDF with a Password
Encrypt a PDF locally with a password using modern 256-bit PDF encryption, then download the protected copy.
Open tool02 / PDFRepair PDF
Rewrite a damaged or badly structured PDF locally with qpdf, recover readable objects when possible and report a clear failure when not.
Open tool03 / PDFMerge PDF
Combine several PDFs locally, see every page before joining, reorder across files and export one clean document.
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Referencing this tool on a website?
Copy an attribution link. It is optional and does not change free access.