How to remove PDF password free is simple when you know the password: open the PDF with it and save a copy without it. This guide shows three methods that really work — the RapidTools tool in any browser, Chrome or Edge, and Mac Preview — and what to do if you have forgotten the password.
⚠️ Always use a copy of your document, never the original. Keep your original file safe.
Every method in this guide works only when you already know the password, because a password-protected PDF is encrypted. Without the password, the file cannot be opened, so it cannot be saved without one.
Only remove a password from a PDF that is yours, or that you have permission to change. Keep the original, protected file until you have checked the new copy.
The quickest method on Windows, Mac, Chromebook, iPhone, and Android. The PDF is opened with your password and saved again in your browser, so your file and your password are never uploaded.
Works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and Edge. No account needed.
Drag it onto the upload area or click to browse. The tool checks whether the file needs a password to open.
⚠️ Always use a copy of your document, never the original. Keep your original file safe.Use the same password you type to open the file. Passwords are case-sensitive. The tool tries only what you type — it never guesses.
The unlocked copy downloads with “-unlocked” added to its name. Open it to check that it opens without a password.
Chrome and Microsoft Edge have a built-in PDF viewer. Once you open the PDF with its password, you can save a new copy without one.
Drag the file onto a browser window. Type the password when you are asked.
This opens the print window.
The new copy opens without a password.
Preview, the PDF viewer built into every Mac, can turn off the password on a PDF you can open.
Double-click the file. If it opens in another app, right-click it and choose Open With → Preview.
Deselect Require Password To Open Document. If Preview asks for the owner password, type it.
To keep the protected original, use File → Duplicate first and change the copy. Edit Permissions is available in recent versions of macOS.
Some PDFs open without a password but block printing, copying, or editing. There is no open password to remove, so the RapidTools tool shows “This PDF does not need a password to open, so there is nothing to remove” and leaves the file unchanged. It does not remove those restrictions.
If you need to print or edit such a file, ask the person who made it for a copy without restrictions.
None of these methods can remove a password you do not know. The content of a password-protected PDF is encrypted, and only the right password unlocks it.
| Method | Works on | Keeps links and form fields | PDFs that block printing |
|---|---|---|---|
| RapidTools Remove PDF Password | Any browser | ✅ Yes | ✅ Works (with the open password) |
| Chrome or Edge (Print → Save as PDF) | Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook | ❌ May be lost | ❌ Does not work |
| Mac Preview (Edit Permissions) | Mac | ✅ Yes | ✅ Works with the owner password |
Type the password you know and download an unlocked copy. Your file and password never leave your device.
🔓 Remove PDF Password →
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