PDF Handoff

Remove Password from PDF

Type the password once, get a copy that opens without it. The text, links, bookmarks and form fields stay exactly as they were.

Your password and file stay in this browser tab. Nothing is uploaded.

Only use this on files you're allowed to open. PDF Handoff never guesses or cracks passwords: you need the password to remove it.

How to use it

  1. Choose your PDF

    Drop it on the box or tap Choose PDF. It opens in your browser and is not uploaded.

  2. Type the password

    Enter the password you use to open the file. If the PDF only restricts printing or copying, you can skip this.

  3. Download the unlocked PDF

    The new file opens without a password and can be printed, copied and edited.

Questions

Can you remove a password I don't know?

No. PDF Handoff only removes a password you can type. It does not guess, crack or bypass passwords. If you've lost the password, ask whoever sent you the file for an unprotected copy.

Is my password sent anywhere?

No. The file and the password are handled by code running in this browser tab. Nothing is uploaded, and you can turn off Wi-Fi after the page loads and it still works.

Will the unlocked PDF look different?

No. The encryption is removed and nothing else is changed: text stays selectable, and links, bookmarks and form fields keep working. The "print to PDF" workaround often loses these.

My PDF opens without a password but won't let me print or copy. Can this help?

Yes. Those are permission restrictions set with an "owner" password. Drop the file in and they're removed automatically, no password needed, as long as you have the right to use the document that way.

Which kinds of encryption are supported?

All standard PDF encryption: AES-256, AES-128 and the older RC4. Files protected with a certificate or a rights-management service (such as Microsoft Purview or Adobe Experience Manager) can't be unlocked with a password.

Step-by-step guides

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