Guide Income Tax Form 16
Form 16 PDF Password — How to Open Your TDS Certificate (2026)
📅 Oct 2026 · Updated for FY 2025-26🕑 7 min read👤 PDF Vault Team🇮🇳 India
⚡ Quick Answer — Try These in Order
- PAN number in UPPERCASE — e.g.
ABCDE1234F— works for most companies (Greythr, Keka, Darwinbox, Razorpay Payroll) - Date of Birth in DDMMYYYY — e.g.
05071992— used by some Zoho Payroll configurations - Employee ID — try your SAP or internal HR employee ID
- No password — some companies issue unlocked Form 16 PDFs
- Ask HR — they know the exact format for your company's payroll tool
Every June, millions of Indian salaried employees receive their Form 16 — the TDS certificate issued by their employer that shows income and tax deducted at source for the financial year. It's essential for filing your Income Tax Return (ITR), applying for a home loan, getting a visa, or showing proof of income.
The frustrating part: Form 16 PDFs are often password protected, and the password varies depending on which payroll software your company uses. Unlike bank statements — where HDFC and ICICI both use DOB in DDMMYYYY — Form 16 has no national standard. Each payroll platform sets its own convention.
This guide covers the exact password for every major Indian payroll system, plus what to do when none of the standard passwords work.
Form 16 PDF Password by Payroll Software
| Payroll Software | Form 16 PDF Password | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Greythr | PAN in UPPERCASE | ABCDE1234F |
| Keka | PAN in UPPERCASE | ABCDE1234F |
| Darwinbox | PAN in UPPERCASE | ABCDE1234F |
| Razorpay Payroll | PAN in UPPERCASE | ABCDE1234F |
| Zoho Payroll | PAN in UPPERCASE (default) or DOB | ABCDE1234F or 05071992 |
| SAP Payroll | Employee ID or PAN (varies by company) | EMP12345 or PAN |
| Spine HR | PAN in UPPERCASE | ABCDE1234F |
| Sumopayroll | PAN in UPPERCASE | ABCDE1234F |
| HR One / Pocket HRMS | PAN in UPPERCASE | ABCDE1234F |
| In-house / Custom software | Ask your HR — varies | — |
⚠ Important: PAN must be in UPPERCASE. abcde1234f will NOT work. ABCDE1234F will. The 5th character of every Indian PAN is always an uppercase letter.
What is Form 16?
Form 16 is a TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) certificate that your employer is legally required to give you every year under Section 203 of the Income Tax Act, 1961. It has two parts:
- Part A — Summary of TDS deducted and deposited with the government (employer's TAN, your PAN, quarterly TDS details)
- Part B — Your salary breakdown, allowances, deductions under 80C/80D/HRA etc., and total taxable income
Employers must issue Form 16 by 15 June each year for the previous financial year. For FY 2025-26, your employer must issue Form 16 by 15 June 2026.
How to Find Your PAN Number (to Open the PDF)
If you don't remember your PAN, find it from:
- Your PAN card — the 10-character alphanumeric number printed on it
- Previous ITR acknowledgements — your PAN is printed on every ITR-V
- IT Department portal — login at incometax.gov.in → your PAN is shown in your profile
- Your salary slips — most payslips show PAN in the deduction section
- Your previous Form 16 — if you have an old Form 16 (from last year's password), your PAN is printed inside Part A
- Know Your PAN — visit the Income Tax e-Filing portal and use the "Know Your PAN" service
Step-by-Step: Open Form 16 PDF (All Devices)
On Android
1
Download the Form 16 PDF from your company portal or email attachment.
2
Open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader (free on Play Store).
3
When the password dialog appears, type your PAN in UPPERCASE (e.g. ABCDE1234F).
4
Tap OK. If it opens — you're done. If not, try DOB in DDMMYYYY, then your Employee ID.
On iPhone
- Open the PDF from your email (tap attachment) or Files app.
- iOS will show a password prompt. Enter PAN in UPPERCASE.
- If using Mail app — the built-in PDF viewer handles password-protected PDFs natively on iOS 16+.
- For older iOS versions, forward the email to yourself and open in Adobe Acrobat for iOS.
On Windows PC
- Open with Adobe Acrobat Reader DC or Microsoft Edge.
- Both show a password prompt immediately. Enter PAN in UPPERCASE.
- Chrome browser: drag the PDF file into a Chrome window — password dialog appears inline.
On Mac
- Double-click the PDF — Preview opens it and asks for the password.
- Enter PAN in UPPERCASE → press Return. Done.
How to Remove Password from Form 16 PDF
You'll need an unlocked Form 16 PDF for:
- Home loan application — most banks (SBI, HDFC, ICICI) require unlocked Form 16 as income proof
- Personal loan or credit card application — for income verification
- Visa application — UK, US, Schengen, Canada embassies need readable PDFs
- ITR filing via CA — your Chartered Accountant may need an editable/searchable copy
- Background verification — employee onboarding checks at new companies
- House rent deposit / agreement — landlords occasionally ask for income proof
Unlock Form 16 PDF — Free, Instant, 100% Private
Upload your Form 16 → enter password (PAN in uppercase) → download unlocked. Your salary details never leave your device — processed entirely in your browser.
Unlock PDF Free →Troubleshooting — Form 16 Password Not Working
❌
Lowercase PAN
abcde1234f fails. ABCDE1234F works. Always uppercase — caps lock on before typing.
abcde1234f fails. ABCDE1234F works. Always uppercase — caps lock on before typing.
❌
Your company uses a different payroll tool this year
If your company switched payroll software (e.g. from Zoho to Greythr mid-year), the Form 16 password may differ from last year. Check with HR.
If your company switched payroll software (e.g. from Zoho to Greythr mid-year), the Form 16 password may differ from last year. Check with HR.
❌
You have two Form 16s (changed jobs)
If you changed employers during the financial year, each Form 16 will have a different password based on that employer's payroll system.
If you changed employers during the financial year, each Form 16 will have a different password based on that employer's payroll system.
❌
PDF not protected at all
Some companies issue unlocked Form 16 PDFs. If the file opens without asking for a password, it is already unlocked.
Some companies issue unlocked Form 16 PDFs. If the file opens without asking for a password, it is already unlocked.
⚠
Still not working?
Contact your company's HR or payroll team. They generated the Form 16 and know the exact password. By law, they must provide you with an accessible copy — this is your right under the Income Tax Act.
Contact your company's HR or payroll team. They generated the Form 16 and know the exact password. By law, they must provide you with an accessible copy — this is your right under the Income Tax Act.
Form 16 vs Form 26AS vs AIS — What's the Difference?
| Document | Who Issues It | Where to Get It | Password |
|---|---|---|---|
| Form 16 | Your employer | HR portal / email | Usually PAN in uppercase |
| Form 16A | Bank / deductor (non-salary TDS) | Bank portal / email | Usually PAN in uppercase |
| Form 26AS | Income Tax Department | incometax.gov.in | DOB in DDMMYYYY |
| AIS (Annual Information Statement) | Income Tax Department | incometax.gov.in | DOB in DDMMYYYY |
💡 Note: Form 26AS and AIS downloaded from the Income Tax Department portal (incometax.gov.in) use Date of Birth in DDMMYYYY as the password — not PAN. These are different documents from your employer-issued Form 16.
What to Do After Opening Form 16
- Verify your PAN and TAN — check Part A of Form 16. Your PAN should match your PAN card. Your employer's TAN should be 10 characters.
- Check total income and TDS — Part B shows your gross salary, deductions (80C, 80D, HRA, etc.) and TDS deducted.
- Cross-check with Form 26AS — the TDS shown in Form 16 should match your Form 26AS. If they don't match, contact HR immediately before filing ITR.
- File your ITR — use Form 16 data to fill ITR-1 (salaried) or ITR-2 (if you have other income sources). Deadline: usually 31 July.
- Unlock if needed for loan/visa — use PDF Vault's Unlock PDF tool for any submission that requires password-free PDFs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common Form 16 PDF password? ▼
PAN number in UPPERCASE — e.g. ABCDE1234F. This is the default for Greythr, Keka, Darwinbox, Razorpay Payroll, and most Indian HR systems. If PAN doesn't work, try DOB in DDMMYYYY as a second attempt.
Form 16 password not working — what to try? ▼
In order: (1) PAN in UPPERCASE, (2) DOB in DDMMYYYY, (3) Employee ID, (4) First 4 letters of name + DOB year, (5) Contact HR directly. Your employer by law must provide you access to your Form 16.
Is it safe to unlock Form 16 PDF online? ▼
On PDF Vault — yes, completely safe. Your Form 16 (which contains sensitive salary and tax data) is processed entirely in your browser using JavaScript. The file never leaves your device. We cannot see it.
Can I open Form 16 without password? ▼
If the PDF is locked, you must know the password to open it. Use the Unlock PDF tool if you know the password but want to remove it for future use. If you truly don't know the password, contact your HR — they generated the file and must provide the password.
What is the Form 26AS PDF password? ▼
Form 26AS downloaded from the Income Tax portal (incometax.gov.in) uses your Date of Birth in DDMMYYYY format as the password — not your PAN. Example: born 5 July 1992 → password is 05071992.
My employer hasn't given Form 16. What are my rights? ▼
Under Section 203 of the Income Tax Act, your employer is legally obligated to provide Form 16 by 15 June every year. If they haven't, file a complaint with the Income Tax Department. You can also use Form 26AS (available at incometax.gov.in) as a substitute for ITR filing in the meantime.
How to compress Form 16 for portal upload? ▼
First unlock the PDF using PDF Vault's Unlock PDF. Then use the PDF Compressor if the file is too large. Form 16 PDFs are typically 200–500 KB — well within most portal limits. If a portal demands under 100 KB, use our PDF Size Fixer.
Is Form 16 Part A and Part B password different? ▼
Form 16 Part A and Part B may be issued as separate PDFs or a combined PDF. If separate, both typically use the same PAN-based password since they come from the same payroll system.
How to read Form 16 for filing ITR? ▼
Open Form 16 Part B and look for: (1) Gross salary, (2) Standard deduction (₹50,000 for FY 2024-25), (3) HRA exemption if applicable, (4) Other deductions (80C, 80D etc.), (5) Net taxable income, (6) TDS deducted. Enter these into ITR-1 on the income tax portal. Your total TDS should match Form 26AS.
Can I get Form 16 if my employer has shut down? ▼
If the company is closed, you may not be able to get Form 16 from them. However, you can download Form 26AS from the IT portal (incometax.gov.in) which shows all TDS deducted by all employers. You can file ITR using Form 26AS if Form 16 is unavailable — consult a CA for the correct process.