If you want to open a password-protected PDF document, you should have access to its password. Similarly, you cannot share such a document without sharing the password also for the other person to be able to open it. This can be highly inconvenient, especially if you need to open or share several such documents. The best solution in such situations is to remove the password from the PDF documents, and there are basically two ways by which you can do so.

Method 1: Use Print to PDF or Save as PDF

The easiest way to remove a password from a PDF file is to open it and then save it as a new PDF. The new PDF will be a duplicate of the original file but will not have a password. However, you can only do this if the PDF file does not have any printing restrictions. If it is only password-protected and you can open it, you should be able to print it normally using almost any PDF viewer.

  1. Open the PDF document from which you want to remove the password using a browser like Chrome or Edge.
  1. Click on the three dots on the top right and then click on 'Print' in the dropdown menu or click on the printer icon in the PDF toolbar.
  1. On the print page, click on the dropdown menu and then click on 'Save as PDF'.
  1. Save the PDF document where you want by providing a name and navigating to the preferred location. The new PDF will have the same content as the old one but will not be password-protected.
Note: Sometimes you may not have the 'Save to PDF' option but may have 'Print to PDF'. This option will provide the same result and allow you to save the document to your device.

On macOS

On a Mac, you can use a PDF viewer like Preview in the same way.

  1. Open the password-protected PDF in Preview by entering the required password.
  2. Once it is open, click on 'File' and then on 'Print' or use the Command + P shortcut.
  3. Then click on the 'PDF' menu at the bottom and click on 'Save as PDF'. Type in a name for the new file and select the location where you want it to be saved. Now, you can open or share the duplicate PDF without worrying about it being password-protected.

Method 2: Use Adobe Acrobat Pro

Adobe Acrobat Pro is a paid application that lets you remove passwords from PDF documents and you can use a trial version of the application to do so even in cases where the previous method does not work. If you don't have an Adobe Pro account, you can go to the website and start your free trial, which includes providing a payment method. But as long as you cancel in time, you won't be charged.

  1. Now, open the password-protected file in Adobe Acrobat Pro by entering its password.
  2. Click on 'Menu' on the top-left and then click on 'Protection' in the dropdown menu before clicking on 'Security Properties'.
  3. Alternatively, click on Menu and then click on 'Document Properties' before clicking on the 'Security' tab.
  4. In the Security Method box, click on 'No Security' and then on 'OK'. Then you can then save the unprotected file from the Menu.

Things to know

  • No matter which method you use to remove the password from a file, you should have the password to access the file.
  • Several online tools and websites claim to help you remove passwords from PDF files, but using them poses privacy and security concerns.
  • Once you've removed the password from a PDF file, you can always add another password to protect it.