To unlock a PDF here, you upload it, type the password you already know, and download a copy that opens without asking for it. Banks, schools and employers often send statements, results and payslips as locked files, which is sensible in transit and tiresome when you open the same document every week. This tool removes the password from the PDF so you only have to type it one last time.
Before you start: this tool needs the password
Unlock PDF does not crack, guess or bypass passwords. It only works when you type the correct current password. If you have forgotten it, the tool can't help, and neither can anyone at Xon File.
Please only use it on files you are allowed to open, such as your own bank statements, documents your employer sent you, or files a colleague shared along with the password.
How to remove a PDF password
- Select your PDF. Drag and drop works on a computer, and on a phone you tap "Select files". The tool takes one PDF at a time.
- Type the PDF's current password in the "Current password" box.
- Start the tool. If the password is right, the unlocked PDF downloads straight away.
- Open the new file to check. It should open without a password prompt.
If the tool says the password is wrong, check for capital letters, extra spaces and whether your keyboard switched language. If a bank or school sent the file, the email or letter that came with it may explain what the password is.
Why people remove PDF passwords
The most common reason is convenience. If you open your monthly bank statement often, or need to print it for a visa or loan application, typing the password each time gets old quickly. An unlocked copy also opens properly on devices and apps where entering a password is awkward. Print shops are another case: if you send a locked file to be printed, someone there has to type the password, which means handing it over.
The second reason is that other tools can't work on a locked file. Merge PDF needs password-protected PDFs unlocked before it can combine them, so if you are putting six months of statements into one file for an application, unlock each one first.
Office work brings its own cases. An accountant receives locked invoices from a client, a teacher gets a locked exam file from a colleague, or a team inherits archived reports whose passwords are written in a handover note. Unlocking them once makes the files easier to file, search and share inside the team.
A short example
Say you are applying for a student visa and the embassy wants three months of bank statements as a single PDF. Each statement arrived locked with the same password. Unlock all three here one by one, then merge them in the order the application asks for. If the merged file is too big for the embassy's upload form, shrink it with Compress PDF before you submit.
Think before you share the unlocked copy
Once the password is gone, anyone who gets the file can open it. That's fine for a copy you keep on your own laptop. It's less fine if the file is going to a shared folder or an email thread. If you need to send it on, you can lock it again with a new password using Protect PDF.
Unlocking doesn't change the content. The pages, text, images and layout stay exactly as they were, and we add no watermark or branding.
Privacy
Your PDF and the password you type are used only to make the unlocked copy. The file is processed on our server and deleted as soon as the result is sent back to you. We don't store or share your document or the password.
You can use the tool in any web browser on Android, iPhone, Windows, Mac, Linux or Chromebook. There's nothing to install, no account, and the upload limit is 100 MB.
Frequently asked questions
Can this tool unlock a PDF if I forgot the password?
No. Unlock PDF only removes a password you already know and type in. It does not crack or guess passwords, so if the password is lost, the tool can't open the file.
Is unlocking a PDF free?
Yes, it's free, and you don't need to sign up. Upload the file, enter the password and download the unlocked copy.
Why does it say my password is wrong?
Most of the time it's a small typing difference: a capital letter, a space at the end, or a number typed on the wrong keyboard layout. Try typing it carefully again, or check the instructions that came with the document.
Can I unlock a PDF on my phone?
Yes. Open the page in your phone's browser, tap "Select files", pick the PDF and type the password. The unlocked file saves to your downloads.
Can I unlock several PDFs at once?
The tool works on one PDF at a time, since each file can have its own password. If you have several, unlock them one after another.
Is it legal to remove a password from a PDF?
That depends on whose file it is. Use the tool on your own documents or on files you were given the password for, and not on files you aren't allowed to open.
Does it remove the password from my original file?
No. You download a new, unlocked copy. The file you uploaded from your phone or computer stays locked, so you can keep it as a protected backup.
Will the unlocked PDF look different?
No. Only the password is removed. Everything on the pages stays the same.