Windows tool for removing password protection from PDF files. Via drag-and-drop or file chooser dialog.
Download pdfdecryptor.exe from the Releases page.
- Drag a password-protected PDF file onto
pdfdecryptor.exe - On first use you will be prompted for the password — with the option to save it
- The PDF is decrypted and the original is overwritten
Alternatively: double-click pdfdecryptor.exe — a file chooser dialog will open.
The password is stored encrypted in the Windows Credential Manager.
| Command | Description |
|---|---|
/set |
Set and save a new password |
/p:PASSWORD |
Use password once (without saving) |
/delete |
Delete stored password |
/backup |
Create backup (.bak) before decryption |
/help |
Show help |
Examples:
pdfdecryptor.exe /set
pdfdecryptor.exe /p:MyPassword file.pdf
pdfdecryptor.exe /backup file.pdf
pdfdecryptor.exe /delete
You can also drag folders onto the .exe — all PDFs inside will be decrypted.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
0 |
Success |
1 |
Wrong password |
2 |
Error (file not found, save error, etc.) |
Scripting example:
pdfdecryptor.exe /p:MyPassword file.pdf
if %errorlevel% equ 1 echo Wrong password!
if %errorlevel% equ 2 echo Error occurred!Alternatively: launch pdfdecryptor.exe and click Cancel in the file chooser dialog — you will be offered the option to change or delete the stored password.
| Situation | Message |
|---|---|
| Success | None — app simply closes |
| PDF not encrypted | "This PDF is not password-protected" |
| Wrong password | Retry dialog: try a different password |
Requires: Python 3 with pip.
build.bat
Automatically installs dependencies (pikepdf, PyInstaller) and creates release/pdfdecryptor.exe.
This tool is intended solely for your own, lawfully acquired PDF files. Using it to circumvent protection measures on copyrighted works belonging to others may violate applicable law.
This project uses pikepdf (MPL-2.0).
MIT