PDF Handoff

How to Remove a Password from a PDF on iPhone

The Files app can open a password-protected PDF, but it has no option to remove the password. You can make an unlocked copy by printing to PDF, or use the tool below in Safari.

A faster way that keeps everything

Open this page in Safari, choose the PDF from Files, type the password and save the unlocked copy back to Files. Nothing is uploaded.

Your password and file stay in this browser tab. Nothing is uploaded.

Only use this on files you're allowed to open. PDF Handoff never guesses or cracks passwords: you need the password to remove it.

The built-in way

  1. Open the PDF in the Files app and type the password.
  2. Tap the Share button, then Print.
  3. In Print Options, tap the Share button at the top of the screen.
  4. Choose Save to Files and pick a folder. The new copy opens without a password.

Things to know

  • The copy is a re-printed file: links, bookmarks and fillable form fields are usually lost.
  • If the PDF blocks printing, Print won't appear or produces blank pages.
  • The Lock PDF option in Files only adds a password; there is no matching Unlock option.

Questions

Why is there no "Unlock PDF" option on iPhone?

Apple's Files app can lock a PDF you own and open a locked one, but it does not offer a way to remove an existing password. The print workaround or a browser-based tool are the options without installing an app.

Where does the unlocked file go?

Safari asks where to save it. Choose On My iPhone or iCloud Drive in the Files app. It's a new copy; the original keeps its password.

Step-by-step guides

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