How-to
Form 16 PDF password: format and how to remove it
4 min read · Updated 6 October 2026
Form 16 — the TDS certificate your employer issues — arrives as a password-protected PDF. Most Form 16s are generated from the TRACES portal, which uses a PAN-and-date formula, but some employers set their own, so there are a few formats to try.
The common Form 16 formats
Dates are DDMMYYYY (eight digits), and case matters.
- Most common (TRACES): the first 5 characters of your PAN in capitals + your date of birth as DDMMYYYY. For PAN ABCDE1234F, born 9 February 1990 → ABCDE09021990.
- Full PAN variants: your full PAN in lowercase + DDMMYYYY, or your full PAN in uppercase + DDMMYYYY.
- Employer-set: some payroll teams set a custom password and state it in the email that delivered the Form 16 — check that email first if the formulas above fail.
If your Form 16 came in two parts (Part A from TRACES and Part B from the employer), they can have different passwords.
Removing the password
- Open Unlock PDF and add the Form 16.
- Try the TRACES format first (first 5 of PAN in caps + DDMMYYYY), then the variants.
- Download the unlocked copy — it opens directly afterward with its real text intact.
The decryption runs in your browser, so your Form 16, which carries your PAN, salary and TDS details, is never uploaded. (Why that matters.) Related: the ITR-V password uses your PAN in lowercase, and e-Aadhaar uses your name and birth year.
Frequently asked questions
What is the password for a Form 16 PDF?
Most commonly the first 5 characters of your PAN in capitals followed by your date of birth as DDMMYYYY — for PAN ABCDE1234F born 9 February 1990, that is ABCDE09021990. Some employers set a custom password instead and state it in the delivery email.
Why does my Form 16 have two different passwords?
Form 16 can come in two parts — Part A from the TRACES portal and Part B from your employer — and they may use different passwords. Open each with its own, or ask your payroll team for the exact format.
Is it safe to unlock a Form 16 online?
Only if nothing is uploaded. A Form 16 carries your PAN, salary and TDS, so never send it to a server to unlock it. This tool decrypts in your browser, so the file and your PAN stay on your device.
Read next
- ITR-V password: how to open the acknowledgement PDFThe ITR-V acknowledgement PDF opens with your PAN in lowercase plus your date of birth as DDMMYYYY. Here is the exact format, with an example, and how to remove it.
- e-Aadhaar PDF password: format and how to remove itYour e-Aadhaar PDF opens with the first 4 letters of your name in capitals plus your birth year. Here is the exact format, and how to remove it safely on your device.
- Does the EPF passbook PDF have a password?Searching for the EPF passbook PDF password? The downloaded passbook is not password-protected. Here is what actually needs a password, and what to do if a PF file is locked.