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Datatool360

Lock and Unlock PDF Online

Use the switch at the top of the tool to choose what you need. Lock PDF puts a password on a file (AES-256), so only people who know it can open it. Unlock PDF removes the password from a file so that it opens freely; for that you need the current password, because this tool does not guess or break passwords. Everything happens in your browser, so the files and the passwords stay on your device.

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How to use Lock & Unlock PDF

  1. Choose Unlock PDF or Lock PDF with the switch at the top.
  2. Add one or more PDFs: click the upload area or drag the files onto it.
  3. Unlock: type the current password. Lock: choose a new password, type it again, and tick what you do not want to allow (printing, copying, editing) if you like.
  4. Press the button. One file is downloaded as a PDF, several files as a ZIP.

What you can do

  • Lock: adds a password with strong AES-256 encryption
  • Lock: optionally forbids printing, copying or editing
  • Unlock: removes the password and the encryption from a file
  • Works with the common PDF encryption types (RC4 and AES, up to AES-256)
  • Several files at once, downloaded together as a ZIP
  • Does not guess or break passwords: you need the right one
  • Private: the files and passwords never leave your browser

Frequently asked questions

Are my file and password uploaded?
No. Locking and unlocking run in your browser, so the PDF and the password stay on your own device.
Can you unlock a PDF if I forgot the password?
No. The tool needs the current password and does not try to guess or crack it. Without the right password the file stays closed. The same is true for files you lock here: nobody can recover a forgotten password, so keep it safe.
How strong is the lock?
Locked files use AES-256 encryption, the strongest type PDF supports. How safe the file is then depends mostly on the password: a long password is much safer than a short or common one.
What do the options for printing, copying and editing do?
They ask PDF programs not to allow those things. Most programs follow them, but they are not a real lock: some tools ignore them. Only the password really keeps a file closed.
Does the unlocked PDF look the same?
Yes. Only the password and the encryption are removed or added; the pages, text and images are not changed.
What if a PDF opens without a password but cannot be printed or copied?
Some PDFs open freely but have restrictions set by their owner. Unlocking such a file also removes the restrictions. Please do this only for files you are allowed to change.
Can I lock a PDF that already has a password?
Not directly. Unlock it first, then lock the unlocked copy with the new password.

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