How to remove a password from a PDF
Remove the open password or the print and copy restrictions from a PDF you are entitled to: in Chrome, Mac Preview, Acrobat, or free in your browser.
If you know the password, removing it takes under a minute: open the PDF, type the password once, and save a copy without encryption. What you cannot do is remove a password you do not know. Below is how to do it with the tools you already have, plus a free in-browser method.
First: which password does your PDF have?
PDFs use two different kinds of password, and the fix depends on which one you are facing.
| Open password | Permissions password | |
|---|---|---|
| Also called | User password, Document Open password | Owner password, restrictions |
| What you see | A prompt before the file opens | The file opens, but Print, Copy or Edit is greyed out |
| Typical source | Bank statements, payslips, tax forms, HR letters | E-books, reports, forms from organisations |
| Needed to remove it | The password | Usually nothing; any decrypting tool can save a copy |
Method 1: in your browser, free, nothing uploaded
Every DailyUtils PDF tool unlocks a file as part of opening it, because the work happens in your browser with the password you type. The file you download is an ordinary PDF with no password.
- Open Extract PDF Pages and drop in the locked PDF.
- Type the password when asked. A file with only print or copy restrictions opens without asking.
- Click Select all, then Extract pages.
- The download is the whole document, unlocked.
The file never leaves your device, which matters for exactly the documents that tend to be locked: statements, payslips and IDs. Bookmarks are not carried into the new file; pages, text, images and links are. To unlock several statements at once and combine them, use Merge PDF instead and enter each password as its file loads.
Method 2: Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge
- Open the PDF in the browser (drag it onto a tab) and enter the password.
- Press Ctrl+P (Cmd+P on a Mac).
- Set the destination to Save as PDF (Chrome) or Microsoft Print to PDF (Edge) and save.
This only works when printing is allowed. Printing also flattens the file: links, form fields and bookmarks are lost, and the text layer is usually kept but can be degraded.
Method 3: Preview on a Mac
- Open the PDF in Preview and enter the password.
- Choose File > Export as PDF (or File > Export).
- Leave the encryption or permissions option in the export dialog switched off, and save.
If the copy still asks for a password, use File > Print, open the PDF menu at the bottom of the print dialog and choose Save as PDF. Like printing in Chrome, this works only when printing is allowed.
Method 4: Adobe Acrobat Pro
- Open the file and enter the password.
- Choose File > Properties, open the Security tab and set Security Method to No Security. (Newer versions also offer this under All tools > Protect a PDF.)
- Enter the permissions password if Acrobat asks for it, then save.
The free Acrobat Reader cannot remove security.
Forgot the password?
There is no legitimate shortcut. Modern PDFs use AES encryption, and without the password the content is unreadable. Instead:
- Bank and card statements in India commonly use a pattern such as the first letters of your name plus your date of birth, or part of your PAN or customer ID. The statement email usually says which.
- Payslips and HR letters often use your employee ID or date of birth.
- Otherwise, ask the sender for the password or for an unprotected copy.
Putting a password back on
If you unlocked a file only to edit it, protect it again before you share it. In Microsoft Word, choose Save As > PDF > Options > Encrypt the document with a password. In Acrobat Pro, use Protect a PDF > Encrypt with password. In Preview, use File > Export and the Permissions or Encrypt option. Use a long password and send it separately from the file.
Not sure what makes a PDF a PDF, or why some come with restrictions at all? See what a PDF is.
Tools used in this guide
Free, and they run in your browser — nothing is uploaded. See every tool on the PDF Tools page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I remove a PDF password without knowing it?
Not for an open password. A PDF that asks for a password before it opens is encrypted with a key derived from that password, so there is nothing to remove without it. Tools that claim otherwise are guessing passwords by brute force, which only works on short, weak ones. Ask the sender for the password or for an unprotected copy.
What is the difference between an open password and a permissions password?
An open password (Adobe calls it the Document Open password, also known as a user password) is needed to view the file at all. A permissions password (also called an owner password) lets anyone open the file but restricts printing, copying or editing. Many bank statements and e-books use only the second kind.
Is it legal to remove a password from a PDF?
Removing a password you were given from your own document, such as a bank statement, payslip or tax form, is routine. Removing protection from a document you have no right to, or to get around copyright or licence terms, may break the law or a contract. Only unlock files you are entitled to use.
Does removing the password change the PDF's content?
No. Decrypting rewrites the same pages, text, images and fonts without encryption. Text stays selectable and searchable. Some methods drop extras: printing to PDF loses links and form fields, and copying pages into a new file loses bookmarks.
Why does my PDF say SECURED in the title bar?
Acrobat and some other viewers add (SECURED) to the title when the file carries any encryption, including a permissions password that only restricts printing or copying. You can still open it; the label tells you some actions are blocked.