Unlock a PDF
Save a copy of your PDF without its password, or without the restrictions that stop you from printing, copying or editing it. The file never leaves your device.
Drop the PDF you want to unlock
or pick a file from your device
- Open the PDF. CLEKARA tells you what kind of protection it has.
- If it asks for a password to open, type it. If it only has restrictions (no printing, no copying…), no password is needed.
- Press Unlock PDF and download a copy that opens anywhere without a password and with no restrictions.
How it works
PDFs can be protected in two ways: with a password to open them, or with permissions that forbid printing, copying or editing. CLEKARA reads the document's security settings, checks your password, decrypts every page, image and piece of text, and saves a clean copy without any protection.
It supports every standard PDF encryption: AES-256 (the current one, used by Acrobat and by CLEKARA's Protect PDF), AES-128 and the older RC4 40- and 128-bit methods.
Before the download appears, the unlocked copy is opened again to check that it needs no password and has the same pages. Everything happens in your browser: neither the document nor the password is sent anywhere.
What it does not do
It does not guess or crack passwords. If the PDF needs a password to open and you do not know it, CLEKARA cannot open it — that is what encryption is for.
PDFs protected with a digital certificate (instead of a password) can only be opened by whoever holds that certificate.
Use it only on documents that are yours or that you are entitled to use.
Frequently asked questions
How do I remove the password from a PDF?
Open the PDF here, type its password and press Unlock PDF. You get a copy that opens without asking for it.
Can I unlock a PDF if I forgot the password?
Not if it asks for a password to open: CLEKARA does not crack passwords. If it opens but does not let you print or copy, it can remove those restrictions without any password.
Which encryption types are supported?
All the standard ones: AES-256, AES-128 and RC4 (40 and 128 bit).
Is my password sent anywhere?
No. The password and the file are used only inside this browser tab.
Does it change the content?
No. Pages, text, images and links stay exactly the same; only the protection is removed.