How To Remove PDF Password: Quick and Easy Tips
25 July 2023 Senior Program Developer
Summary
Learn how to enhance security by protecting PDF files with passwords. Discover effective methods to remove passwords and encrypt PDF files in this comprehensive guide.
Table of contents
PDF is a file format developed by Adobe Systems for file exchange in a manner independent of applications, operating systems, and hardware. PDF documents are not easy to be changed or modified, and compared with other document formats, it can better protect the security of file data. In addition, PDF files also support adding password protection, which can better protect the file content. Passwords are the main security protection against unauthorized users accessing PDF documents.
PDF There are two types of passwords, one is the user password (open password), and the other is the owner password (permission password).
- The user password (open password) is the password that actually protects the PDF content, and the user must enter the correct password to open the PDF. With this kind of password, the content is encrypted. This kind of password can only be cracked by professionals, and it is usually regarded as unbreakable. To decrypt this kind of PDF, you must know the password.
- The owner password (permission password) is a gentlemen’s agreement, and the content of the file is not encrypted, but the PDF file will have some permission restrictions, such as printing, modification, etc. are not allowed. Users do not need a password to open the document, but a permission password is required to change usage restrictions.
Therefore, if you want to strictly control the use of PDF files, you must set a user password on the document, otherwise anyone can easily delete the permission password.
Although adding a password can better protect files, sometimes it may cause some inconvenience when organizing documents or wanting to copy, print, or edit PDFs. Therefore, if you want to remove the PDF open password or permission password, then you can use some software or online tools to solve it.
The following will introduce four commonly used PDF decryption software, you can choose according to your own needs.
Renee PDF Aide The software is a professional software that integrates multi-functional PDF toolset and PDF conversion, which can help you quickly decrypt, edit and convert PDF files. The software supports editing functions such as repairing, optimizing, splitting, merging, encrypting, decrypting, adding watermarks, and converting images to PDF. In addition, it also supports multiple conversion formats, you can convert PDF to Word/Excel/PPT / EPUB / TXT / HTML / JPG / PNG / TIFF and other formats.
Hot Topic - ADsRenee PDF Aide - Powerful PDF Editing Tool 
Easy to use Friendly to computer beginners
Multifunctional Encrypt/decrypt/split/merge/add watermark
Safe Protect PDF with AES256 algorithms
Quick Edit/convert dozens of PDF files in batch
Compatible Convert PDF to Excel/PowerPoint/Text, etc.
Easy Use with simple steps
Functional Encrypt/decrypt/split/merge/watermark
Safe Protect PDF with AES256 algorithms
Free TrialFree TrialNow 800 people have obtained the free version!The specific operation steps are as follows:
① Download, install and open Renee PDF Aide , click (PDF toolset).
② Click (Add Files) to import one or more PDF files.
③ Click the (Encryption & Decryption) tool in the upper menu bar, and then select (Decrypt PDF file). Click (Modify) to enter possible password characters. Finally, choose the file output location and click (Convert).
You can also do it easily by printing the encrypted PDF file as a new password-free PDF file on Google Chrome browser. It removes passwords from PDF files for free, but The premise is that you need to know the encryption password of the file. The Google Chrome browser can be used on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems. In addition to the Chrome browser, you can also call the printing function in the Microsoft Edge browser, Firefox browser or Safari browser.
The specific operation steps are as follows:
① Download and install the Chrome browser on the computer, and drag the PDF file whose password needs to be removed into the browser. Before opening the PDF file in the Chrome browser, you will be prompted to enter the PDF file password, and the file will be opened after the correct input.
② Click the three-dot icon in the upper right corner of the Chrome browser interface to open the settings menu, and then click the (Print) option from the drop-down menu. You can also use the shortcut (Ctrl + P) on a Windows computer, or (Command + P) on a Mac to bring up the print menu.
③ In the newly opened “Print” window, you can customize the PDF output settings. Select (Save as PDF) on the Destination Printer option. After that, click (Save) to choose where to save the converted PDF file. After completing the above operations, the encrypted PDF file will be saved without a password and can be opened directly without a password.
Kind tips Google Chrome is a free solution, but before using it, you must make sure that the file is not limited to printing. This method cannot be used if the PDF file has print restrictions set. Therefore, if you cannot print, please use other decryption methods.
To remove the password of encrypted PDF files, you can try to use Adobe Acrobat DC software. Adobe Acrobat DC is an electronic word processing software developed by Adobe, which can be used for PDF encryption, decryption, creation, editing, exporting, organizing, sharing or signing. It is a full-featured PDF editing software. If you need to edit and create PDF professionally and comprehensively, Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is a good choice. Although Adobe Acrobat DC is one of the best PDF editing software out there, it’s not free and can cost a lot more than other software.
It should be noted that before removing the PDF password, you need to know the PDF password to operate.
The specific operation steps are as follows:
① Install and open the Adobe Acrobat DC software, then open the PDF file in the software, and enter the correct PDF password in the prompt window. After opening the file, click the (lock) icon on the left side of the window, click (License Details), and enter the document security settings. Or you can also click (File) > (Properties), and click the (Security) tab in the pop-up window to enter the settings.
② In the drop-down box of “Security Method”, select (No Security Settings). Enter the correct password in the pop-up window, and click (OK) to remove the PDF password. Finally, click (File) > (Save) to save the changes.
On a Mac computer, you can use the built-in PDF print function of the “Preview” program to remove the password of the PDF file, and Mac users can decrypt the file for free without downloading other software. Preview is a free Mac application that provides easy PDF editing and password removal. If you have no other higher editing needs, I believe the preview program can satisfy you.
The specific operation steps are as follows:
① First, open the protected PDF document in “Preview” and provide the required password. Click (File) > (Print) to open the Print dialog.
② Click the “PDF” menu button at the bottom of the print dialog box and select (Save as PDF). In the pop-up storage window, modify the name of the PDF file to be generated, select the storage location, and click the (Save) button in the lower right corner to complete the operation. The newly generated PDF file will have the same content as the original file, but without the password.
Another way to remove passwords from PDF files is to use an online editing tool, so that you don’t need to install editing software to complete the operation, and it can be used on Windows, Mac, or Linux operating systems. However, there is a risk of data leakage when using online tools, and the speed of uploading and downloading files will be affected by the speed of the network connection.
Soda PDF is a free and easy-to-use PDF online editing tool. The password removal operation is simple and suitable for all kinds of people. For specific operations, please refer to the introduction below. In addition to removing passwords from PDF files, it can also implement editing operations such as merging, splitting, or converting PDF documents.
Online link: https://www.sodapdf.com/unlock-pdf/
The specific operation steps are as follows:
① Open the Soda PDF online link on the browser, click the (CHOOSE FILE) button, and select the PDF file to upload from the computer. Alternatively, you can import the PDF file you want to remove the password from a cloud storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox.
② After the PDF file is uploaded, enter the password to restrict PDF access, then click (UNLOCK), and wait for the PDF file to be decrypted. Once the PDF file is decrypted, you can download it to your computer or email the link to the file.
Smallpdf is an online tool that can quickly remove passwords and restrictions on PDF documents, and the operation is very simple. The upload speed of this website is very fast, the decryption and upload process are displayed with a progress bar, and there is no file size limit. After many tests, the decryption effect of this website is quite good. Also, Smallpdf only offers a 7-day free trial.
Online link: https://smallpdf.com/cn/unlock-pdf
The specific operation steps are as follows:
① Open the Smallpdf online link on the browser, click (select file) to upload the PDF file to remove the password.
② After the file is uploaded, click (Decrypt PDF), then enter the correct PDF password, and click (Confirm Decrypt). After the PDF password is successfully removed, click the (Download) button to download the PDF to your computer.
HiPDF is an online PDF decryption tool that can help you remove PDF passwords. All operations are handled in the cloud without downloading or installing any software.
Online link: https://www.hipdf.cn/unlock-pdf
The specific operation steps are as follows:
① Open the online link of HiPDF in the browser, click (select file) to upload the PDF file to remove the password.
② Enter the correct PDF document password on the page. Click the (Unlock) button and it will remove the password from the file. Finally, click the (Download) button to download and save a new PDF file without a password to a local folder, or you can choose to share the PDF document directly on the web page.
Using the Freemypdf online tool can quickly help you remove PDF passwords and unlock restrictions (such as printing, copying text restrictions, etc.). Similar to other online PDF decryption tools, the decryption operation of Freemypdf is also very simple. It should be noted that the size of the uploaded PDF document cannot exceed 400MB.
Online link: https://www.freemypdf.com
The specific operation steps are as follows:
① Open the Freemypdf online link on the browser, click (choose file) to upload the PDF document to remove the password.
② Then click the (I agree, do it!) button, it will automatically remove the password and download the cracked PDF file.
After removing the PDF password, if you still need to encrypt PDF, you can try to use Renee PDF Aide or Renee SecureSilo to encrypt the file. Both softwares have their own functional advantages, please refer to the introduction below for details.
Renee PDF Aide It can help you quickly encrypt PDF files and improve the security of PDF through password protection. In addition, users can also choose to allow printing, modification, filling out forms, signing and other functions. The software uses the AES256 encryption algorithm with high key strength, so there is no need to worry about data being easily stolen. The operation of using Renee PDF Aide to encrypt PDF is very simple, and it also supports single file encryption or batch encryption of files, even novice users can quickly operate.
System requirements: Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP/2000 (32-bit and 64-bit versions).
Hot Topic - ADsRenee PDF Aide - Powerful PDF Editing Tool
Easy to use Friendly to computer beginners
Multifunctional Encrypt/decrypt/split/merge/add watermark
Safe Protect PDF with AES256 algorithms
Quick Edit/convert dozens of PDF files in batch
Compatible Convert PDF to Excel/PowerPoint/Text, etc.
Easy Use with simple steps
Functional Encrypt/decrypt/split/merge/watermark
Safe Protect PDF with AES256 algorithms
Free TrialFree TrialNow 800 people have obtained the free version!The specific operation steps are as follows:
① Download, install and open Renee PDF Aide , click (PDF toolset).
② Click (Add Files) to import one or more PDF files.
③ Click (Encrypt & Decrypt) in the upper menu bar. Then select (encrypt PDF file), enter the encryption password and perform other permission settings. After setting, click (Convert).
Kind tips Sometimes, when you need to perform some editing operations such as optimization, splitting or merging on PDF, you can use Renee PDF Aide to solve it. This software is a collection of various editing functions, among which the “PDF Toolset” module can already meet most of your editing needs.
PDF Tool set editing function module description:
Repair: Repair damaged or unopenable PDF files.
Optimization: Optimize PDF files that take a long time to load, and compress large PDF files.
Split: Split a multi-page PDF file into multiple files or one as required.
Merge: Merge and output multiple PDFs into one PDF, and you can also specify the pages to be merged.
Rotation: Adjust the display angle of the PDF file.
Encryption & Decryption: PDF files can be encrypted or decrypted.
Watermark: Add foreground watermark/background watermark to PDF files, watermark can choose picture or PDF document.
Image to PDF: You can choose to merge and convert images into one file, or generate a PDF file from one image.
Renee SecureSilo As one of the most popular encryption software in the application market, it has high security and convenience, and provides various encryption methods for users with different needs. This software is especially suitable for use when encrypting and protecting a large number of files, and supports encrypting and protecting multiple file types, such as PDF, Word, Excel or pictures. Users only need to create a private disk through Renee SecureSilo, and put the files to be encrypted into the private disk to protect the files. No matter whether the files are modified or added, they can be encrypted in one second without waiting.
In addition to encrypting and protecting files in private disks, Renee SecureSilo also provides the functions of hiding files, disguising files, and encrypting password wallets, and the operation steps are also very simple. Moreover, because the virtual disk format is private and uses advanced AES256 encryption technology. There is no universal cracking program available on the market.
The specific operation steps are as follows:
① Download and install Renee SecureSilo. Open it after the installation is complete, in the software interface, set a protection password for the software and click (OK).
② Click (Encrypted File) > (Create Private Disk).
③ Set the name and save path for the private disk, click (Next) to create a virtual disk.
④ After creating the private disk, set an access password for the private disk and click (Next).
⑤ After the setting is complete, select the size range of the disk, and then click (Next) to complete the creation of the private disk.
⑥ In “Encrypted Documents”, click (Open Private Disk), enter the password, and click (Open). In the file explorer window that pops up, you can move important PDF files or folders to it to realize file encryption protection.
Relate Links :
How To Remove PDF Password: Quick and Easy Tips
25-07-2023
John Weaver : Learn how to enhance security by protecting PDF files with passwords. Discover effective methods to remove passwords and...
Edit and Modify PDF Text: Expert Tips
14-05-2024
Amanda J. Brook : Master PDF editing techniques with advanced tools to edit pdf text and tailor content precisely to your requirements.
Convert DOCX to PDF: A Simple Guide
24-07-2023
Ashley S. Miller : Learn what DOCX and PDF documents are, and discover effective methods for converting DOCX to PDF. Explore professional...
24-07-2023
Jennifer Thatcher : Learn how to add electronic signatures to PDF files for improved efficiency and time savings. Check out our...
