Actions80
- Add Attachment To PDF
- Add Barcode To PDF
- Add Form Fields To PDF
- Add HTML Header Footer
- Add Image Stamp To PDF
- Add Image Watermark To Image
- Add Margin To PDF
- Add Page Number To PDF
- Add Text Stamp To PDF
- Add Text Watermark To Image
- AI-Invoice Parser
- AI-Process Contract
- AI-Process HealthCard
- Classify Document
- Compress Image
- Compress PDF
- Convert HTML To PDF
- Convert Image Format
- Convert JSON To Excel
- Convert Markdown To PDF
- Convert PDF To Editable PDF Using OCR
- Convert PDF To Excel
- Convert PDF To PowerPoint
- Convert PDF To Word
- Convert To PDF
- Convert URL to PDF
- Convert VISIO
- Convert Word to PDF Form
- Create Images From PDF
- Create PDF/A
- Create Swiss QR Bill
- Crop Image
- Delete Blank Pages From PDF
- Delete Unwanted Pages From PDF
- Disable Tracking Changes In Word
- Enable Tracking Changes In Word
- Extract Attachment From PDF
- Extract Form Data From PDF
- Extract Pages From PDF
- Extract Resources
- Extract Table From PDF
- Extract Text By Expression
- Extract Text From Word
- Fill PDF Form
- Find And Replace Text
- Flip Image
- Flatten PDF
- Generate Barcode
- Generate Document Single
- Generate Documents Multiple
- Get Document From Pdf4me
- Get Image Metadata
- Get PDF Metadata
- Get Tracking Changes In Word
- Image Extract Text
- Linearize PDF
- Merge Multiple PDFs
- Overlay PDFs
- Parse Document
- Protect PDF
- Read Barcode From Image
- Read Barcode From PDF
- Read SwissQR Code
- Remove EXIF Tags From Image
- Repair PDF Document
- Replace Text With Image
- Replace Text With Image In Word
- Resize Image
- Rotate Document
- Rotate Image
- Rotate Image By EXIF Data
- Rotate PDF Page
- Sign PDF
- Split PDF By Barcode
- Split PDF By Swiss QR
- Split PDF By Text
- Split PDF Regular
- Unlock PDF
- Update Hyperlinks Annotation
- Upload File To PDF4me
Overview
The node provides functionality to unlock password-protected PDF files. It supports multiple input methods for the locked PDF, including binary data from a previous node, a base64-encoded string, or a URL pointing to the PDF file. After unlocking the PDF using the provided password, it outputs the unlocked PDF file as binary data.
This node is beneficial in scenarios where automated workflows need to process secured PDFs—such as extracting data, merging, or converting PDFs—that require removing password protection first. For example, a user might receive encrypted invoices via email and want to automatically unlock them before further processing.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Input Data Type | Method to provide the PDF file to unlock. Options: Binary Data (from previous node), Base64 String (base64 encoded content), URL (link to PDF file). |
| Input Binary Field | Name of the binary property containing the PDF file when using Binary Data input type (default: "data"). |
| Base64 PDF Content | Base64 encoded string representing the PDF document content (used if Input Data Type is Base64 String). |
| PDF URL | URL pointing to the PDF file to unlock (used if Input Data Type is URL). |
| Output File Name | Desired filename for the output unlocked PDF file (default: "unlocked_output.pdf"). |
| Password | Password string used to unlock the protected PDF (default: "1234"). |
| Binary Data Output Name | Custom name for the binary data field in the node's output (default: "data"). |
Output
The node outputs the unlocked PDF file as binary data under the specified binary data output name (default "data"). The output includes:
- A JSON object with metadata fields (if any).
- A binary property containing the unlocked PDF file content, named according to the "Binary Data Output Name" property.
- The binary data can be used by subsequent nodes for further processing, storage, or transmission.
Dependencies
- Requires an API key credential or authentication token to access the external PDF unlocking service.
- The node depends on an external PDF processing service (implied by the imported
unlock_pdfaction module) to perform the unlocking operation. - Proper network access to URLs if the PDF is provided via URL.
- No additional environment variables are explicitly required beyond standard n8n credentials setup.
Troubleshooting
- Incorrect Password Error: If the provided password is wrong, the unlocking will fail. Verify the password is correct.
- Invalid PDF Input: Providing malformed or unsupported PDF content (e.g., corrupted base64 string or inaccessible URL) may cause errors. Ensure the input PDF is valid and accessible.
- Network Issues: When using URL input, network connectivity problems or invalid URLs can prevent fetching the PDF.
- Missing Binary Data: If "Binary Data" input type is selected but the specified binary property does not exist or is empty, the node will error. Confirm the binary property name matches the actual input.
- API Authentication Failures: Errors related to authentication indicate missing or invalid API credentials. Check that the API key or token is correctly configured in n8n.
To resolve errors, check the input parameters carefully, ensure the password is correct, verify network access, and confirm credentials are properly set up.