How to Unlock Secure PDF Files

A secure PDF file that enforces copyright law with features that prevent other users from reproducing or distributing it. The owner or creator of the PDF file uses password protection to restrict actions from other users such as accessing, printing, copying text and editing documents. If you need to edit or copy text from a PDF file but do not have access from the owner, follow these instructions to unlock the PDF file.

Table of Contents

Begin

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Open the PDF file. If you need a password to open the file, you’ll have to download encryption-breaking software. This method is CPU-heavy, even a simple password can take several days to crack, and makes it impossible for the computer to do anything else during the software runtime. For high encryption, this software has little chance to crack.

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Security check. If you can’t open the PDF file without a password, you can check if the file is secure by looking for the padlock icon. This icon will appear in the upper right of the screen if the document is secure. Click on the icon to see the restrictions.

Try copying. Restricted documents are generally protected from copying. If you can’t highlight or copy a piece of text, the document is restricted.

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Try saving. You cannot save restricted documents as text files. To be able to convert the format, you need to unlock it first.

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Adobe Acrobat (As Owner)

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Open secured PDF files. You can use Adobe Acrobat software. However, you must be the creator of this file or must have a password to perform this method.

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Click the Security button. This button is on the Tasks bar. You can easily identify this button thanks to the padlock icon.

Select Remove Security if you want to finish disabling the security of the PDF file. If you have previously set an Access Password to secure this file, you will have to enter the password to complete the process.

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Change encryption settings. If you want to adjust the reverse encryption settings with disabling file security, click on the “Access Details” link under the Security button.

Click “Change Settings” in the Document section under the Security tab after selecting “Certificate security” in the list. You can also select the “No Security” item in the list to completely remove the security.

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Select the encryption level and press next.

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You will need a Digital Username to encrypt documents. You can use an existing username or create a new account.

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Check the recipient’s trustworthiness, change the access permission or remove the recipient if you want to change this, then click Next.

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Click Finish and OK to save changes and close the document window. Save the PDF file to make changes.

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Google Drive

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Open Google Drive. You need a free Google account to access Drive. First you need to adjust the settings so that the files are converted correctly. In the upper right corner, click the wheel icon to open the Settings menu. Under “Upload settings” select “Convert text from uploaded PDF documents and image files”.

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Download PDF file. In the left pane, click the red button with an upward arrow icon, next to the Create button. Select “Files…” (Files…) in the menu list and navigate to the location of the PDF file you want to unlock. Drive will load and convert the document, creating a test document in the Drive folder.

This method only works with owner-restricted PDF files.

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Not all formats can be saved.

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Google Drive limits file upload size to 2MB.

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PDFUnlock

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Visit website. Use your browser to visit www.pdfunlock.com. This website will unlock PDF files smaller than 5MB for free. This method can only be used with owner-restricted PDF files.

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Download file. Drag files to the panel or select files from within the folder. If you select “My Computer” you can navigate to the location of the file on the system. If you choose “Dropbox” or “Google Drive”, you need to log in to the respective account to select the file to convert.

Click on the “Unlock!” button! (Unlock!). Upload time depends on the line speed and size of the PDF file.

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Download the converted file. After you upload the file, PDFUnlock will send you the converted file. Download the folder you want on your computer. You can distinguish files by the word “unlocked” in the filename.

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Check access. Open the converted file. In the File section, select Properties. In the Security tab, the Security Method section will show the words No Security.

Concatenation, Document Signing and Prototyping Page Creation are still listed as Not Allowed. Because Adobe Reader can’t do these actions, and they want you to pay for the Pro version.

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Foxit Reader and CutePDF

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Download the latest versions of Foxit Reader and CutePDF Writer. Both of these software are free. Foxit Reader allows you to open PDF files and connect to printers. Cute PDF Writer is a PDF printer so security restrictions can be bypassed.

If you apply this method with Adobe reader software and the printer will be securely blocked during the writing process.

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Use Foxit Reader to open secure PDF files. Select File, then Print to open the list of printers. Select CutePDF Writer in the list.

Save the printed file to your computer as a new PDF file.

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Open new file. You can check the security settings by clicking on File, Properties. Security settings are detailed in the Security tab.

Microsoft XPS Viewer

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Open the PDF file with the Adobe Reader program. Select File, and then select Print. In the list of connected printers, select Microsoft XPS Document Writer. This will convert the PDF file to XPS. When preparing to print, you will be asked to save the file.

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Open XPS files with XPS Viewer software. This program comes pre-installed in Windows. On the Tools (Tops) menu, select Print. Select PDF Printer in the list. You need Adobe Acrobat or another PDF editing software like CutePDF.

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Save file. Once asked for a name, the document will be converted to PDF format. The newly converted file has been de-secrated.

This method may not work with some security methods applied on the original secure PDF file.

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Ghost Script and Ghost View

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Download and install, depending on the operating system, download the Ghostscript, Ghostview and GSview software from http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/ or mirrors.

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Change the file extension from .pdf to .ps (file after script).

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Open .ps file and select file -> convert -> device (select pdfwrite), resolution (select 600dpi) and select OK, save the file in folder with section The extension is .pdf.

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Change the extension from .ps to .pdf if necessary. This step is not required.

PDF XChange Viewer

This method is only useful when you know the password.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/7/7c/713042-22.jpg/v4-460px-713042-22.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/7c/713042-22.jpg/v4-728px-713042-22.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Go to File -> Document Properties -> Security.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/e/e2/713042-23.jpg/v4-460px-713042-23.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/e/e2/713042-23.jpg/v4-728px-713042-23.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:346,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:547,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Change Password Security to “No Security”.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/c/c8/713042-24.jpg/v4-460px-713042-24.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/c/c8/713042-24.jpg/v4-728px-713042-24.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Save file. Complete.

Google Chrome

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/d/d9/713042-25.jpg/v4-460px-713042-25.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/d/d9/713042-25.jpg/v4-728px-713042-25.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Open Chrome. Press ctrl+O, navigate to the pdf file location and open it with Chrome browser.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/f/f5/713042-26.jpg/v4-460px-713042-26.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/f/f5/713042-26.jpg/v4-728px-713042-26.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Right click. Select Print.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/e/e4/713042-27.jpg/v4-460px-713042-27.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/e/e4/713042-27.jpg/v4-728px-713042-27.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Select “Save as PDF” (Save as PDF). Save the file in the desired location, such as the desktop.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/4/4c/713042-28.jpg/v4-460px-713042-28.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/4/4c/713042-28.jpg/v4-728px-713042-28.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Open the newly created file with any PDF reader. The file will be opened without a password.

SysTops PDF

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/4/48/713042-29.jpg/v4-460px-713042-29.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/4/48/713042-29.jpg/v4-728px-713042-29.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Download PDF Unlocker software. ^{[1] X Research Source} This is a trial version, you need to pay if you want to continue using this software.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/c/ca/713042-30.jpg/v4-460px-713042-30.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/c/ca/713042-30.jpg/v4-728px-713042-30.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Access to PDF files is restricted.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/b/b0/713042-31.jpg/v4-460px-713042-31.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b0/713042-31.jpg/v4-728px-713042-31.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Select the PDF file then click the “Open” button.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/c/c0/713042-32.jpg/v4-460px-713042-32.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/c/c0/713042-32.jpg/v4-728px-713042-32.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Select destination.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/4/4c/713042-33.jpg/v4-460px-713042-33.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/4/4c/713042-33.jpg/v4-728px-713042-33.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Then click the Unlock button. As a user, you can successfully unlock the entire PDF file.

thepdf.com

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/b/b9/713042-34.jpg/v4-460px-713042-34.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/b/b9/713042-34.jpg/v4-728px-713042-34.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Open a web browser and go to http://www.thepdf.com/unlock-pdf.html .

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/3/31/713042-35.jpg/v4-460px-713042-35.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/3/31/713042-35.jpg/v4-728px-713042-35.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Click the “Select” button and select the PDF file from your computer.

{“smallUrl”:”https://www.wikihow.com/images_en/thumb/8/8c/713042-36.jpg/v4-460px-713042-36.jpg”,”bigUrl”:”https:// www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/8/8c/713042-36.jpg/v4-728px-713042-36.jpg”,”smallWidth”:460,”smallHeight”:345,”bigWidth”:728,” bigHeight”:546,”licensing”:”<div class=”mw-parser-output”></div>”}

Click the “Unlock” button, then the website will upload the file and start decrypting.

Once done, click the “Download” button to download the unlocked file.

Take Screenshots

This method will not allow you to edit the content of the document, but allows you to create a format that allows character filling, character recognition, adding characters, highlighting, or editing, etc.

Open the PDF you want to unlock.

Take a screenshot of a PDF document. (Can use “Snipping Top” in Windows to capture)

Save the snapshot.

Right click on the saved snapshot, select “Convert to Adobe PDF”.

When the image is opened as a PDF, use Adobe to recognize the image.

You can use Adobe’s Top functionality to recognize characters, create formatting to fill characters, etc.

Advice

If you try to change a PDF file that you created yourself, because you lost your password or due to bad luck. You can use several password recovery software—for a price. You can find password recovery software by entering the keyword “Recover PDF Password” into the search engine.

Steps