Independent guide · Not the Income Tax Department, TRACES, Protean, UTIITSL or UIDAI · This is not an official tool. We never ask for your OTP.
How to Open Password-Protected Income Tax and e-PAN Files?
Most Income Tax files open with your PAN in small letters plus your date of birth as DDMMYYYY, like abcde1234f01011990. Form 26AS and e-PAN use the date alone, like 01011990. Form 16B uses the buyer's date of birth. An employer's TRACES ZIP uses the TAN. This tool builds that password and opens the file inside your browser.
Unlock your tax or PAN file
Choose a locked PDF or ZIP: e-PAN, AIS, TIS, Form 26AS, ITR-V, a CPC intimation, Form 16B and more. The tool asks what the file is, then asks only for the details its password needs.
This tool needs JavaScript, which is off or blocked in your browser. You can still open the file yourself: find your document in the password table below, then type that password into any PDF reader or ZIP app.
Nothing you type leaves your phone. The file is opened inside this browser and is never uploaded. Works with PDF and ZIP files only. Each try uses at most 6 documented passwords, never a guessing list.
Which tax and PAN files are password-protected, and why?
Files from the Income Tax Department, TRACES (the TDS website), Protean and UTIITSL carry your PAN, income, tax paid and bank details. Many of them come by email. A password built from details only you should know keeps the file safer if it reaches the wrong inbox.
The files people most often ask about are:
- e-PAN from Protean, UTIITSL or Instant e-PAN on the e-Filing portal.
- AIS and TIS, the statements of your income and transactions on the e-Filing portal.
- Form 26AS, your annual tax statement from TRACES. Under the Income-tax Rules, 2026 it is widely reported as Form 168. The Income Tax Department's page is titled "Form 26AS / Form 168" and lists a separate statement from tax year 2026-27. We found no change to its password.
- ITR-V and e-verification acknowledgements, and CPC intimations and orders after your return is processed.
- Form 16B, 16C, 16D and 16E, the TDS certificates for property, rent, payments to contractors and crypto.
- Related files that are not tax files: e-Aadhaar and your demat or mutual fund statement (CAS).
The challan receipt from e-Pay Tax is not known to have a password. If it asks for one, use the "I know the password" option or check the source.
How does this tool work, and what passwords does it use?
- It reads the file in your browser. It checks whether it is a PDF or ZIP and whether it is locked. An unlocked PDF needs nothing.
- It guesses the document from the file name. If the name doesn't say, or two documents fit, it asks you to pick.
- It builds the documented password from the details you type, exactly as the table below says. If a rule is disputed, it tries both versions.
- It opens the file and gives you an unlocked copy to save. It also tells you which rule worked and whether that rule is confirmed on an official page or only widely reported.
If JavaScript is off, use this table yourself. Every example uses dummy details: PAN ABCDE1234F, date of birth 01/01/1990, TAN ABCD12345E. "Date" means date of birth for a person, or date of incorporation or formation for a company, firm, trust or HUF, as on the PAN record.
| Document | Comes from | Password | Dummy example | How sure? | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AIS (Annual Information Statement) PDF | e-Filing portal (AIS) | PAN in small letters + date as DDMMYYYY | abcde1234f01011990 | Confirmed on an official page | Income Tax Department |
| TIS (Taxpayer Information Summary) PDF | e-Filing portal (AIS) | Same as AIS | abcde1234f01011990 | Widely reported | TaxBuddy |
| AIS JSON file | e-Filing portal (AIS) | Not a PDF: opens only in the AIS offline utility. Type PAN in capitals + date there | ABCDE1234F01011990 | Confirmed on an official page; one site says small letters | Income Tax Department |
| Form 26AS / Form 168, PDF or text ZIP | TRACES, via e-Filing | Date as DDMMYYYY only (no PAN) | 01011990 | Confirmed on an official page | TRACES FAQ |
| ITR-V / e-verification acknowledgement | e-Filing portal (email or download) | PAN in small letters + date | abcde1234f01011990 | Widely reported | ClearTax |
| CPC intimation or order: 143(1), 139(9), 154, refund adjustment, demand | CPC Bengaluru / e-Filing | PAN in small letters + date | abcde1234f01011990 | Widely reported; our team checked it on a real 143(1) intimation (Oct 2026) | TaxGuru |
| Notice under section 133(6) | e-Filing (e-Proceedings) | PAN in capitals only | ABCDE1234F | Reported by one site | EZTax |
| TRACES email intimation to a taxpayer | TRACES | PAN in small letters + date of birth | abcde1234f01011990 | Confirmed on an official page | TRACES password tutorial |
| Form 16B / 16C / 16D / 16E | TRACES (downloaded by the buyer, tenant or payer) | Buyer's or payer's date of birth as DDMMYYYY | 01011990 | Confirmed on an official page | TRACES FAQ |
| Justification Report for 26QB / 26QC / 26QD / 26QE | TRACES | Buyer's or payer's PAN in capitals | ABCDE1234F | Confirmed on an official page | TRACES password tutorial |
| Form 16 / 16A / 27D file or ZIP (employer or deductor download) | TRACES | TAN in capitals | ABCD12345E | Confirmed on an official page | TRACES FAQ |
| e-PAN from Protean (NSDL) | Protean (email or download) | Date as DDMMYYYY | 01011990 | Confirmed for individuals; entity date widely reported | Protean |
| e-PAN from UTIITSL | UTIITSL (email or download) | Date as DDMMYYYY | 01011990 | Widely reported | ClearTax |
| Instant e-PAN (individuals only) | e-Filing portal | Date of birth as DDMMYYYY | 01011990 | Widely reported | ClearTax |
| e-Aadhaar (not a tax file) | UIDAI | First 4 letters of the name in capitals + year of birth | RAVI KUMAR, born 1990 → RAVI1990 | Confirmed on an official page | UIDAI FAQ |
| NSDL / CDSL demat statement (e-CAS, not a tax file) | NSDL or CDSL email | First holder's PAN in capitals | ABCDE1234F | Confirmed on an official page | CDSL FAQ |
| CAMS / KFintech mutual fund CAS (not a tax file) | CAMS or KFintech email | The password you chose when you asked for it | Your own choice | Widely reported | Scripbox |
"Widely reported" means several tax websites agree but we could not find the rule on an official page. The tool tells you this when such a rule opens your file.
"Every Income Tax file opens with your PAN." Not true. The TRACES FAQ says Form 26AS opens with your date of birth alone, and Protean says the same for e-PAN. An employer's TRACES ZIP uses the TAN.
Is my file safe? What happens to my PAN and date of birth?
- Nothing is uploaded. The file never leaves your device. The unlocking happens inside your browser.
- We never see your PAN or date of birth. The tool sends nothing to any server. Your typed details are kept only in this browser for this visit, or for 30 days if you tick "Remember on this device". "Forget my details" wipes them.
- Internet is needed only once. The tool's code loads from this website when you unlock your first file. After that, unlocking needs no internet while the page stays open.
- Tap Clear when you finish. It removes the files from the tool. The unlocked copy you saved stays in your Downloads folder.
- On a shared or cyber café computer, delete the unlocked copy and empty the Downloads folder before you leave.
What should you do next?
- Only need the e-PAN password: the e-PAN PDF password helper shows it without opening the file.
- Don't have the e-PAN yet: see how to download e-PAN, or Instant e-PAN if you got PAN through Aadhaar.
- Date of birth on PAN is wrong: files keep using the wrong date until you correct date of birth in PAN.
- AIS or Form 26AS shows things you didn't do: read PAN fraud and misuse.
- Forgot your PAN: see how to find your PAN number.
- Company, firm or trust files: check the date on record in our company PAN guide.
- e-Aadhaar won't open, or you need a fresh copy: see how to download e-Aadhaar and our e-Aadhaar PDF password helper.
Wrong password? Why won't the file open?
| Problem | Likely reason | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| "Wrong password" with the right rule | The date on your PAN record differs from your real date | Use the date printed on your PAN card or e-PAN. If it is wrong, correct it. |
| Company, firm, trust or HUF file won't open | A GST, bank or deed-signing date was used | Use the date of incorporation or formation on the PAN record. |
| Opened on the portal, but typed by hand it fails | Capital and small letters matter | AIS, ITR-V and intimations use small letters; e-CAS and the 133(6) notice use capitals. The tool tries the right case for you. |
| Seller or landlord can't open Form 16B or 16C | The password is the buyer's or tenant's date of birth | Ask the buyer or tenant for their date of birth as on their PAN, or ask them to open it. |
| Employee's Form 16 PDF asks for a password | Your employer set its own password | Ask your employer's HR or payroll team. Only the TRACES ZIP that employers download uses the TAN. |
| "This file looks damaged" | The download stopped part-way | Download it again from the official site on a steady connection. |
| "Not supported" for an AIS file | It is the AIS JSON file, not the PDF | Import it in the AIS offline utility, or download the AIS PDF instead. |
Don't hand your tax files to strangers
- Never upload AIS, Form 26AS, ITR-V or e-PAN files to random "unlock PDF" websites. They hold your PAN, income, bank details and date of birth.
- Nobody needs to charge you to "unlock" a tax file. The password comes from your own details.
- Got an email with a notice or a link? Don't click it. Log in to the e-Filing portal yourself by typing incometax.gov.in, and check your notices there.
- Treat any call or message asking for an OTP as a red flag. Don't open PDF or APK files sent by unknown numbers on WhatsApp or SMS.
- Lost money? Call the cybercrime helpline 1930 quickly. PAN fraud guide →
Frequently asked questions
Is it legal and safe to remove the password from my tax file?
It is your own document, and you need the password anyway to open it. Saving an unlocked copy just saves typing. Keep that copy safe, because anyone who gets it can read your PAN, income and bank details. Don't unlock someone else's file without their permission.
Does this tool upload my file or see my PAN?
No. The file is opened inside your browser and never leaves your device. Your PAN, date of birth and TAN are never sent to any server. They stay only in this browser, and only for longer than this visit if you tick "Remember on this device". Nothing you type leaves your phone.
Is this an official Income Tax Department tool?
No. It is built by an independent guide. It only uses the password rules published by TRACES, the Income Tax Department, Protean, UIDAI and depositories, plus rules that tax websites widely report. It tells you which kind of rule opened your file.
Can the tool crack a password I don't know?
No. It does not guess or try password lists. It builds only the documented password from the details you type, at most 6 tries per click. If you chose your own password, such as for a CAMS or KFintech statement, only you know it.
Why does Form 26AS open with only my date of birth?
That is the TRACES rule. Its FAQ says the Form 26AS password is the date of birth of the taxpayer in DDMMYYYY format, with no PAN. The FAQ does not cover companies; tax websites report that a company uses its date of incorporation.
I sold a flat. Why can't I open my Form 16B?
Form 16B opens with the buyer's date of birth, because the buyer cut the TDS and downloaded it from TRACES. Ask the buyer for their date of birth as on their PAN, or ask them to share an opened copy.
Can this tool open my AIS JSON file?
No. The AIS JSON file is meant only for the AIS offline utility. When you import it there, the official password is your PAN in capitals plus your date of birth as DDMMYYYY. For a readable copy, download the AIS PDF instead.
The password rule worked last year but fails now. What changed?
We found no change to these passwords under the new Income-tax Rules, 2026. A failure usually means a different date on the PAN record, a different document, or a file belonging to someone else. Try another document type in the tool.
Bottom line
Most tax files open with your PAN in small letters plus your date as DDMMYYYY. Form 26AS and e-PAN use the date alone, Form 16B uses the buyer's date, and an employer's TRACES ZIP uses the TAN. Use the date on your PAN record. Keep the unlocked copy private. For e-Filing help, call 1800 103 0025.
Sources
- Income Tax Department – Steps to access AIS (PDF password: PAN in small letters + date of birth) (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- Income Tax Department – Annual Information Statement (AIS JSON password: PAN in capitals + date of birth) (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- TRACES – Form 26AS FAQs (password: date of birth in DDMMYYYY) (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- Income Tax Department – Annual Tax Statement (Form 26AS / Form 168) (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- TRACES – e-Tutorial: password format of TRACES files (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- TRACES – Form 16B download FAQs (buyer's date of birth) (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- TRACES – Form 16 download FAQs for deductors (TAN) (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- Protean – Download your e-PAN card (password: date of birth in DDMMYYYY) (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- Income Tax Department – Instant e-PAN user manual (no password stated) (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- UIDAI – What is the password of e-Aadhaar? (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- NSDL – FAQs on CAS and CDSL – CAS FAQs (PAN in capitals) (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
- Tax websites used only for "widely reported" rows: ClearTax (ITR PDF password), ClearTax (e-PAN), TaxGuru, EZTax, TaxBuddy, Scripbox (accessed 16 Oct 2026)
Page history: 16 Oct 2026, first version.