# Unlock PDF Files

> Drop in the protected PDF, type the open password once, download an unlocked copy. The password is used locally to decrypt and is never transmitted or logged — a SaaS unlocker sees your password in cleartext on its server. Supports AES-128 and AES-256 on PDF 1.0 through 2.0. Requires the correct password; it does not brute-force.


Live tool: https://lofttools.com/tools/pdf-tools/unlock-pdf

Category: PDF & Documents

## How it works

1. **Select PDF** — Drag and drop your protected PDF file or click to browse
2. **Enter password** — Type the password to unlock the document
3. **Download** — Download your unlocked PDF instantly

## FAQ

### Can I unlock a PDF without the password?

No. You must know the document password to unlock it. This tool does not bypass security.

### Does this preserve bookmarks and form fields?

Yes. Removing password protection only clears the encryption flag; the document outline, form fields, and annotations are kept exactly as-is.

### What PDF versions are supported?

Unlocking works on PDF 1.0 through 2.0 once you supply the correct password. AES-128 and AES-256 encryption are both supported.

## Tips

- **Password typed locally, never sent** — The password is used in-browser to decrypt the file. It is not transmitted, logged, or cached server-side — a SaaS unlocker, by contrast, sees your password in cleartext.
- **Requires the correct open password** — This removes encryption from a PDF you own. It does not bypass or brute-force unknown passwords; without the right password, nothing happens.
- **AES-128 and AES-256 supported** — Works on PDF 1.0 through 2.0. Once decrypted, bookmarks, form fields, and annotations are preserved exactly — only the encryption flag is cleared.

## Privacy — what we do not do

This tool runs entirely in the browser via WebAssembly. Your file never reaches a Loft Tools server. Specifically:

- **No upload.** The file bytes load into the browser tab's memory and process on your own CPU. Open DevTools → Network and observe zero outbound requests carrying file data while Unlock PDF Files runs.
- **No AI training on your file.** Loft does not train models. We could not train on a file we cannot see.
- **No content scanning.** No virus, copyright, or content-moderation pass against your file. The bytes are not accessible to us.
- **No server-side log of file contents, filenames, or EXIF metadata.** Cloudflare edge captures URL and truncated IP for abuse defense (standard CDN behaviour). Cloudflare Web Analytics records anonymous page hits, no cookies, no PII. Nothing about your file content reaches any log.
- **No retention.** Close the tab and the file leaves browser memory. No backups exist on our side because no copy ever existed on our side.
- **No account.** No email, no signup, no auth, no telemetry tied to you.
- **Offline-capable after first visit** (PWA). Once you've loaded a tool, it caches; later sessions work without internet. For high-sensitivity files, run the tool once online to warm the cache, then disconnect before processing.

Compare with upload-based services: each transmits your file to a processing server. Even over HTTPS, each has logs, retention windows, and subpoena exposure. Loft has none of these because the server architecture does not include your file.

## More

- All tools: https://lofttools.com/tools
- Category: https://lofttools.com/tools/pdf-tools
- LLM index: https://lofttools.com/llms.txt