---
title: "Remove a password from a PDF for free | Paperwing"
description: "Remove the password from a PDF you can open, so it opens freely, on Windows or Mac with Paperwing, a free desktop app. Offline."
url: https://paperwingapp.com/tools/unlock-pdf/
---

1. [Home](https://paperwingapp.com/)
2. [Tools](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/)
3. Unlock PDF

Free tool · Windows and macOS

# Unlock a PDF you can already open.

Tired of typing the same password every time you open your own statement? Enter it once and save an unlocked copy.

[Download for Windows](https://github.com/rohanvijaykumar/paperwing/releases/download/v1.2.3/Paperwing-Setup-1.2.3-x64.exe) · [Download for Mac](https://github.com/rohanvijaykumar/paperwing/releases/download/v1.2.3/Paperwing-1.2.3-mac-arm64.dmg) · [Download Paperwing](https://paperwingapp.com/download/)

v1.2.3 · Windows 10 and 11 · 188 MB v1.2.3 · Apple Silicon · 192 MB · [Intel Mac?](https://paperwingapp.com/download/#mac) Free for Windows and macOS · v1.2.3 [Other versions](https://paperwingapp.com/download/)

## How to remove a password from a PDF with Paperwing

1. Open the PDF in Paperwing. It asks for the password.
2. Open **All tools** and choose **Unlock PDF** , or type “unlock pdf” in the search box. Shift+Ctrl+P finds any tool from anywhere.
3. Run it with the password you know. The unlocked copy opens in a new tab.
4. Save it with Shift+Ctrl+S.

## What you can do

- Remove an open password you know
- Remove printing and copying restrictions with **Remove Restrictions**
- Add protection back later with **Protect PDF**

## Why do it on your computer

Unlocking happens on your computer, so the password and the document stay with you.

**Paperwing is a free, open-source desktop app** for Windows and macOS with more than 100 PDF tools. It works offline, there’s no account, and every tool is free. [Download it](https://paperwingapp.com/download/) or [browse all the tools](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/) .

## Questions

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

No. Paperwing removes passwords you already know; it doesn’t break encryption.

## Related tools

[**Lock a PDF** Add a password and AES encryption to a PDF, or set permissions, on Windows or Mac with Paperwing, a free desktop app.](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/password-protect-pdf/) · [**Merge PDFs** Combine several PDFs into one file on Windows or Mac with Paperwing, a free desktop app.](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/merge-pdf/) · [**Compress a PDF** Make PDFs smaller on Windows or Mac with Paperwing, a free desktop app.](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/compress-pdf/) · [**Edit a PDF** Edit the text and images in a PDF on Windows or Mac with Paperwing, a free desktop app.](https://paperwingapp.com/tools/edit-pdf/)

## Open your next PDF in Paperwing.

Free for Windows and macOS. No account, no subscription, nothing to sign up for.

[Download for Windows](https://github.com/rohanvijaykumar/paperwing/releases/download/v1.2.3/Paperwing-Setup-1.2.3-x64.exe) · [Download for Mac](https://github.com/rohanvijaykumar/paperwing/releases/download/v1.2.3/Paperwing-1.2.3-mac-arm64.dmg) · [Download Paperwing](https://paperwingapp.com/download/) · [Star on GitHub](https://github.com/rohanvijaykumar/paperwing)

v1.2.3 · Windows 10 and 11 · 188 MB v1.2.3 · Apple Silicon · 192 MB · [Intel Mac?](https://paperwingapp.com/download/#mac) Free for Windows and macOS · v1.2.3 [Other versions](https://paperwingapp.com/download/)