How to Remove a Password from a PDF on iPhone (2026)

Open the PDF with its password, then save a copy without the password using Preview, the Print-to-PDF workaround, or an offline app such as UnKey.

To remove a password from a PDF on iPhone, you first need to know the password. Open the file, enter it, and then save a new copy that has no password. You can do this with apps already on your iPhone or with an offline app such as UnKey.

No legitimate method removes a password you don't know. If you've forgotten it, see what to do if you forgot a PDF password.

Before you start

• Save the PDF to the Files app first. In Mail, touch and hold the attachment and choose Save to Files (see Apple: Download email attachments in Mail on iPhone).
• Keep the original until you've checked that the new copy opens and looks right.
• Have the password ready. For bank and card statements, the email the statement came with usually explains the format.

Option 1: The Preview app (iOS 26 and later)

Recent versions of iOS include a Preview app for PDFs. Apple documents how to add a password: open a PDF, tap the menu next to the filename, tap Lock, and a Require Password toggle turns on (Apple: Lock PDFs in Preview on iPhone).

Apple's guide doesn't describe removing a password. On an already-protected PDF you can try this: open it in Preview, enter the password, tap the menu next to the filename, tap Lock, and turn off Require Password. Preview also has an Export option that saves a new PDF (Apple: Export or compress PDFs in Preview on iPhone). Whichever route you use, close the new file and open it again. If it still asks for a password, use one of the options below.

Option 2: The Print screen workaround

This is an old trick that many people use. It isn't an Apple-documented feature, and the buttons can move between iOS versions.

1. Open the PDF in Files and enter the password.
2. Tap the Share button, then tap Print (Apple: Print from iPhone). You don't need a printer.
3. On the Print Options screen, spread two fingers apart on the page preview. This opens a full-screen preview, which is a new PDF.
4. Tap the Share button and choose Save to Files.

Things to check afterwards: forms, links and searchable text may come out differently, and if the PDF blocks printing, Print may not appear at all.

Option 3: UnKey (offline app)

1. In Files, Mail or another app, open the Share sheet for the PDF and choose UnKey, or open UnKey and pick the file.
2. Enter the password you already have.
3. Save the unlocked copy to Files or share it.

UnKey works on the device and doesn't upload your file. It doesn't crack or guess passwords. It only removes a password you already know. Unlocking is free. You can also save passwords for statements you get every month. They stay in the device Keychain behind Face ID or Touch ID, so next month's statement opens without retyping. The one-time UnKey Pro purchase adds batch unlocking and other tools.

If the password is rejected

• Check capital letters. PDF passwords are case-sensitive. Many banks use your name in capitals.
• Check the date format. DDMMYYYY, DDMMYY and DDMM are all common, and they aren't interchangeable.
• Check the email. Banks and card issuers usually state the format in the email the statement arrived with.
• Look for a typo or an autofilled space. Type the password by hand instead of pasting it.

Should you remove it at all?

An unlocked PDF can be opened by anyone who gets hold of the file. If you store it in a shared iCloud folder or forward it, think about who can reach it. For a fuller discussion, read is it safe to remove a PDF password.

Questions

Sources

• Apple – Lock PDFs in Preview on iPhone
• Apple – Export or compress PDFs and images in Preview on iPhone
• Apple – Print from iPhone
• Apple – Download email attachments in Mail on iPhone

Formats can change. If a password doesn't work, check the email the document came with or contact the issuer. UnKey isn't affiliated with any bank, employer or authority named here.