Before processing
Use only a file you are authorized to unlock, confirm the current opening password, and keep the protected original until the new copy has been checked.
Online PDF tool
Unlock a password-protected PDF online
Create an unlocked copy of a PDF when you know the current password and have permission to remove its access protection.
Nothing to install, and your first eligible task finishes before you sign in. TapScanner has 100M+ mobile downloads
Drop your PDF here
Drag a file in, or choose one — it opens in the workspace below, already loaded.
PDF, up to 20 MB. Larger files still work — add them in the workspace itself.
What you get
An accessible PDF copy with a known password removed
Use the document’s current password to remove opening protection from a file you are authorized to access.
- Remove known password protection
- Create an accessible copy
- Continue editing or converting
See the workflow before you start
Unlock PDF: from your file to a checked result
Use the document’s current password to remove opening protection from a file you are authorized to access. The three decisions below show what to provide, what to configure, and what to verify before you share the output.
Select the protected PDF.
Enter the document’s current password.
Unlock and download the new copy.
Your file
1Choose the setting
2Ready to review
3Result to check
Enter the current password, create the unlocked copy, and confirm the document opens before continuing the workflow.
Plan the job
Prepare and verify Unlock PDF
A quick source check prevents avoidable rework. After processing, open the output and verify the details that matter for this specific PDF task.
Before relying on the result
Open the output without the old password and verify pages, attachments, forms, signatures, metadata, and permissions; remember that removing a password does not remove sensitive content.
How it works
How to use Unlock PDF in three steps
Select the protected PDF.
Enter the document’s current password.
Unlock and download the new copy.
Complete the job
Unlock PDF from upload to a checked result
Follow the whole path before you start: choose the source, set the job, run the workspace, verify the output, and continue only when the result is right for its next use.
Choose the source
Configure the job
Run the tool
Check the result
Continue
After processing
Review, download, and continue after Unlock PDF
A completed result still deserves a quick check. Keep the original, inspect the output type and contents, and decide what should happen next before you share it.
Output to verify
Result type: PDF outputUse the document’s current password to remove opening protection from a file you are authorized to access.
Check page order, orientation, text, permissions, and any visible signatures before sharing the PDF.
Review the output
Check page order, text, orientation, and the number of files in the workspace before sending anything.
Download your copy
Use the workspace Download action after the result is ready. A browser handoff does not prove that a file was saved to disk.
Delete now when offered
If this workspace offers Delete now, use it after downloading. Availability depends on the tool and current result path.
Continue with the next task
Keep the source until you have verified the result, then move to a related PDF task or return to the tools catalog.
Practical example
Prepare your protected statement for another PDF task
Starting point
A statement you are allowed to use requires its known password each time it opens and must now be merged with other records.
Result to check
Enter the current password, create the unlocked copy, and confirm the document opens before continuing the workflow.
Premium and Unlock PDF
When Unlock PDF needs more than Free
Free covers three completed jobs a day, 25 files, 100 MB, and 500 pages per task. Premium raises those limits and adds OCR, existing-text editing, repair, compare, forms, and automation.
Usually next: Keep the result and move straight into the next tool without re-uploading.
Paddle shows the exact amount, taxes, renewal date, and any eligible trial before you confirm. Stop future renewals yourself from your TapScanner billing account.
- OCR that makes scans searchable and selectable
- Editing the text that already exists in a PDF
- Repair for files that refuse to open
- Compare two revisions and see what changed
- Up to 100 files and 1 GB in one task, no page cap
- No daily job cap, subject to fair-use protection
Work with confidence
Clear limits and an output you can review
Know the access level
The first eligible task can be completed before login. Current file, page, and usage limits are shown in the workspace.
Keep document data out of analytics
TapScanner web's application data layer rejects filenames and document contents. Published analytics destinations require separate configuration verification.
Temporary storage during processing
Hosted processing paths may use temporary files. In the pinned core's normal download path, the output file is removed when the stream closes; scheduled cleanup covers stale temporary files.
Hosted processing
Web tools may send files to TapScanner's hosted processing service. We do not currently offer a customer-selectable processing region, so do not assume processing stays on your device or in a particular country.
Delete when offered
Delete-now is available only when a result screen explicitly offers it; it is not yet supported by every web tool.
Check the finished file
Open the downloaded result and verify important pages, values, formatting, and permissions before relying on it.
Compare PDF tools
Choose between Unlock PDF and the next likely tools
Match the tool to the result you need now. The current choice is shown first, followed by three focused alternatives for a different document outcome.
Current tool
Unlock PDF
- Choose this tool when you need
- An accessible PDF copy with a known password removed
Alternative
Protect PDF
- Choose this tool when you need
- A password-protected PDF copy for controlled opening
Alternative
Edit PDF
- Choose this tool when you need
- A PDF with targeted text and image-position changes
Alternative
Sign PDF
- Choose this tool when you need
- A PDF with your visual signature placed on the page
Questions
Unlock PDF FAQ
Can I use Unlock PDF for free?
Yes. Your first eligible task can be completed before login. TapScanner shows the current file, page, and daily limits before processing.
Can TapScanner unlock a PDF without its password?
No. You must know the current password and be authorized to remove the protection from the document.
Do I need to install software for Unlock PDF?
No. TapScanner runs in a modern web browser, so you can upload, process, and download the result without installing desktop software.
Ready to use Unlock PDF?
Add your file and finish the job. The limits that apply are shown before processing starts, not after it fails.
Open Unlock PDF