Have you ever been stuck with a PDF that’s locked behind a password you already know but don’t want to type in every time? That’s the problem I wanted to solve with DePDF — a simple, privacy-focused tool to remove passwords from your own PDF files.
Why I Built It
Most “unlock PDF” tools on the web require you to upload your document to a third-party server. That’s a huge red flag for anything personal, confidential, or business-related. I wanted a solution that:
- Runs entirely in the browser
- Never uploads or stores files
- Feels fast and lightweight
That’s exactly what DePDF does.
How It Works
At the heart of DePDF is QPDF — a powerful PDF manipulation library. I compiled it to WebAssembly (WASM), which means it can run safely and efficiently right inside your browser.
Here’s the flow:
- You drop a locked PDF into the app and enter the password.
- QPDF runs locally in your browser (via WASM) to decrypt the file.
- The unlocked PDF is instantly downloaded back to your device.
No uploads. No server in the middle. 100% client-side.
Security by Design
Privacy and security were the main design goals:
- Client-side only — nothing leaves your device.
- No tracking or analytics beyond basic usage stats.
- Open standards — QPDF is a battle-tested open-source library.
This makes DePDF a tool you can trust for sensitive documents.
Try It Yourself
You can try DePDF here: https://depdf.co
It’s completely free, works in any modern browser, and keeps your files safe.