Unlock PDF

Remove password protection (the current password is required).

Free on the API and MCP server — generous limits, files deleted within an hour, content never logged.

Server

This one runs on our servers — under the same privacy rules.
Files are virus-scanned before processing, stored encrypted, and deleted within 1 hour. Content is never logged. And it's free: 250 operations a day, every day, plus burst on spare capacity.

Unlock PDF needs server-grade machinery (heavy conversion, OCR or cryptography the browser can't do safely), so it runs through the REST API and the MCP server instead of an uploader. One free key drives both — get yours in about a minute.

REST API

curl -X POST https://api.pdfmcp.org/v1/jobs \
  -H "X-API-Key: pdfmcp_live_YOUR_KEY" \
  -F [email protected] -F op=decrypt -F password=...

Submit → poll → download. Full walkthrough in the REST API quickstart guide.

MCP (for AI agents)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pdfmcp": {
      "url": "https://mcp.pdfmcp.org/mcp",
      "headers": {
        "X-API-Key": "pdfmcp_live_YOUR_KEY"
      }
    }
  }
}

Paste into Claude, Cursor, VS Code, ChatGPT and 9 more clients — setup guides for every major MCP client.

By using the API or MCP server you agree to the Terms of Service and Acceptable Use Policy. Files you send are deleted within an hour; see the Privacy Policy.

How unlock pdf works here

Remove password protection (the current password is required). Server-side, the job passes the security inspection gauntlet first (antivirus, structural and active-content checks), runs in a sandboxed worker, and the result waits for you for exactly one hour.

People often pair this with encrypt pdf and strip ai metadata & provenance — same deal there: free, private, no sign-up.

Parameters

Parameter	Type		Default	Description
`password`	string	required	—

FAQ

Is Unlock PDF free?

Yes — completely free, with no watermark, no sign-up and no trial clock. On the API/MCP side every key gets 250 guaranteed operations a day plus unlimited burst operations on spare capacity. See the pricing page for the full (short) policy.

What happens to my file?

You send it to the pdfmcp API/MCP server over HTTPS. It is virus-scanned and inspected before processing, stored in an encrypted temporary volume, and automatically deleted within 1 hour of the job finishing. We never log file content or file names.

Can I automate Unlock PDF with an AI agent or code?

Yes — the exact same operation is a tool on the pdfmcp MCP server (for Claude, Cursor, ChatGPT and other agents) and an endpoint on the REST API. One free key works for both; the guides walk you through setup in about a minute.

Are there limits?

Files up to 100 MB and 500 pages. Web tools are additionally bounded by your device's memory. The caps exist to stop abuse and keep the shared machine fair — they are not a paywall, and there is no paid tier to unlock.

Related tools

API · MCPEncrypt PDFProtect a PDF with a user password (AES-256).On-deviceStrip AI metadata & provenanceRemove AI-generation provenance and identifying metadata from a PDF or image (JPEG/PNG/WebP): C2PA Content Credentials, XMP/EXIF/IPTC AI markers (incl. IPTC DigitalSourceType trainedAlgorithmicMedia), generator Software/Creator tags, EXIF GPS and device data. Metadata only — content and pixels are never modified, image pixels are not re-encoded, and pixel-embedded invisible watermarks (e.g. SynthID) are NOT removed: they live in the image data itself, not in metadata. The result reports exactly what was found and removed, by category.On-deviceSanitize PDFStrip metadata (incl. XMP), JavaScript, embedded files/attachments, document actions and link/file actions — the safe-to-share version of a PDF.On-deviceSign PDF (visual signature)Place a visual signature on a PDF: upload the signature image as the SECOND file, or let the signer name be typeset. A self-signed certificate (SHA-256 fingerprint) is generated and recorded in the document metadata. This is an electronic signature stamp + certificate record — not a qualified/PKI document signature.API · MCPSet PDF permissionsEncrypt a PDF with an owner password and fine-grained permissions (print, copy, modify, annotate, ...).API · MCPRedact PDFTRUE redaction: content under the regions is removed from the file (not just covered). Modes: explicit regions, literal texts, and/or PII patterns (emails, SSNs, payment-card numbers — Luhn-checked).

Browse the protect & sign hub or the full tool index. Building something bigger? Read the features tour and the free usage policy.