How to Remove a PDF Password on Windows (2026)

Open the PDF in Microsoft Edge or Chrome with its password, press Ctrl+P, pick Save as PDF (or Microsoft Print to PDF) and save a new copy; paid Acrobat can remove security directly.

On Windows 10 and 11 you can remove a PDF password for free with the browser you already have. Open the PDF in Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome, type the password, press Ctrl + P, choose Save as PDF (or Microsoft Print to PDF) as the printer, and save. The new file opens without a password. You need to know the password first.

Method 1: Microsoft Edge (built in)

1. Right-click the PDF in File Explorer and choose Open with > Microsoft Edge.
2. Type the password when Edge asks for it.
3. Press Ctrl + P, or open the More menu (the three dots) and choose Print.
4. Under Printer, choose Save as PDF or Microsoft Print to PDF.
5. Click Save (or Print), pick a folder and give the copy a new name.
6. Open the new file to check it no longer asks for a password.

Microsoft's guide to its built-in PDF reader shows the Edge route: find Print under the More menu, choose your options, then print (Microsoft: View, print, and edit PDFs in a PDF reader). Microsoft Print to PDF is a printer that comes with Windows. If it's missing from the list, Microsoft says it can be turned back on under Windows Optional Features (Microsoft: KB5058499 known issue).

Method 2: Google Chrome

If you use Chrome, the steps are almost the same: open the PDF in Chrome, enter the password, press Ctrl + P, set Destination to Save as PDF, and click Save (Google: Print from Chrome). There's more detail in our Chrome guide.

Method 3: Adobe Acrobat Pro or Standard (paid)

Paid Acrobat removes the encryption itself instead of re-printing the file, so links and form fields stay intact. Adobe documents two routes (Adobe: Remove passwords from PDFs):

• Protect tools: open the PDF, go to the Protect tools and choose Remove Security. If the file only has an open password, confirm with OK. If it also has a permissions password, Acrobat asks for that password first.
• Security settings: open the document's security properties, go to the Security tab, choose Change Settings, clear the password options and save.

Adobe's menus move between versions, so if you can't see these exact names, search for “Remove Security” in Acrobat's tool search. The free Acrobat Reader can open protected PDFs but isn't the tool for removing security. Use Method 1 or 2 instead.

Method 4: qpdf (technical users)

The free, open-source qpdf tool runs on Windows. qpdf --decrypt --password=YOURPASSWORD in.pdf out.pdf writes a copy with no encryption (qpdf documentation). The password may be saved in your command history, so clear it afterwards on a shared PC.

Things to check

• Print greyed out? The PDF may have a permissions password that blocks printing. See printing and copying restrictions.
• Password rejected? Check Caps Lock, the date format and the details your bank holds. See why a PDF password isn’t working.
• Shared or office PC? The unlocked copy opens for anyone who finds it. Save it in a private folder and delete it from Downloads.

If you also have an iPhone, iPad or Mac, UnKey removes the password offline on those devices and can save the password for next month's statement. There's no UnKey app for Windows.

Questions

Sources

• Microsoft Support – View, print, and edit PDFs in a PDF reader
• Microsoft Support – KB5058499 (Microsoft Print to PDF known issue)
• Google Chrome Help – Print from Chrome
• Adobe – Remove passwords from PDFs in Acrobat
• qpdf – Command-line options

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.