How do I remove the password and restrictions from a PDF I own?
Upload the PDF and its password to Sealique: the encryption and restrictions are removed on the server and the open copy lands in your library, ready for a digital signature.
A statement that asks for a password every time, a form that will not print, a report whose text cannot be copied into the minutes: when you are entitled to the content, the tool removes the lock so the file behaves like any other PDF.
Unlock a PDF now Create an account Verify a signed document
Key facts
- Unlock PDF on Sealique removes the encryption and the permission flags from a PDF you have the password for; it is included with an account, with no card and no daily limit.
- A PDF with only a permissions password (readable, but no printing or copying) is unlocked without typing anything.
- The tool never guesses or breaks passwords: without the right open password the file stays closed.
- The unlocked copy is saved in your library as a new document; the protected original is not kept.
- Once open, the PDF can be edited, merged, compressed or signed with a PAdES digital signature.
What exactly is removed?
The file is opened on Sealique servers with the password you provide, which proves you are allowed to read it. It is then saved again without the encryption dictionary and without the permission flags, so viewers no longer ask for a password and no longer block printing, copying or commenting. The content itself is not changed.
Unlock, edit, sign
A locked PDF cannot be edited or sealed. Unlock it first, make the changes, then add a PAdES digital signature; the sealed file can be verified online by its verification ID or QR code and, if needed, protected again with a new password.
Unlock PDF, step by step
Open Unlock PDF
Sign in, open PDF tools and choose Unlock PDF.
Choose the PDF
Drop the protected PDF (up to 50 MB).
Enter the password
Type the open password if the file asks for one; leave the field empty for a file that only has restrictions.
Unlock
Press Unlock. The open copy appears in your library.
Unlock PDF is included with a Sealique account; the processing happens in your browser and on our servers, nothing is shared with third parties.
What Unlock PDF includes
- Removes the open password with the password you have
- Lifts printing, copying and editing restrictions
- No password guessing
- Unlocked copy saved in your library
- Ready to edit, merge or sign
- Works from a phone or a computer
Questions people ask
Can it open a PDF whose password I do not know?
No. The tool decrypts with the password you give; it does not guess, crack or bypass passwords.
Ask the sender for the password or for an unprotected copy.
Why does it work without a password sometimes?
Some PDFs only restrict printing or copying with a permissions password while letting anyone read; those restrictions can be removed from a file you can already open.
Is the password stored?
No. It is used once on the server to decrypt the file and is not kept; the job records only that a password was used.
Can I protect the file again later?
Yes. Use Protect PDF on the unlocked copy to set a new password and new permissions.
Does it cost anything?
No. It is included with a Sealique account: no card, no watermark, no daily limit.