How to unlock a PDF?

[Captain Monday]

How can I unlock a 9 page pdf file so I can attach it to an email without giving the recipient the password?

[gamb00ler]

If the recipient doesn't require the file in PDF format, you can always send him a screen capture of each page as you view it.

[Crossy]

If you have W10 you should have "Microsoft Print to PDF" in your list of printers.

 

Simply print your document to the "printer" and you'll have an unlocked version.

 

[longball53098]

I just looked at my W10 and find I needed to install the MS app for print to pdf. It was not installed yet. 

 

Oops,,,,,,cancel that I do have it listed in my Devices and Printers,,,,,,,,,,,sorry!

[RichCor]

8 hours ago, Captain Monday said:

How can I unlock a 9 page pdf file

Is the SAVE AS option in your PDF reader not available after you unlock the file?

[Captain Monday]

Don't know how to unlock the file. Even signed up for a paid Acrobat subscription for one week free trial.

[asiacurious]

Locked pdfs usually have security restrictions on printing.  You may be able to print to paper, but you probably won't be able to print to another pdf, even using a different pdf print driver like the Microsoft pdf printer option.

 

There can be multiple locks on a pdf, so the password to open it for viewing and or printing to paper, may not allow you to save as or print to a new pdf.  There may be a separate password to give you full access to the file.

 

Screenshots or taking photos with your phone is one option.  If you can print to paper, you could then use your phone and an app (several good ones out there) to capture the individual pages and put them together into a new pdf.  They will just be images inside the pdf file (unless you run OCR on the images) so not searchable, but it'll give you a pdf you can at least send along.

[Captain Monday]

I did the screenshots but I had to upload 9 screenshots for one doc. Not elegant hope it is accepted.

 

[Susco]

17 minutes ago, Captain Monday said:

I did the screenshots but I had to upload 9 screenshots for one doc. Not elegant hope it is accepted.

 

If you use Firefox and install the Fireshot addon, you can take a single screenshot from the whole PDF file and save it as a PDF

 

 

Fireshot Thaivisa.pdf

[asiacurious]

20 minutes ago, Susco said:

If you use Firefox and install the Fireshot addon, you can take a single screenshot from the whole PDF file and save it as a PDF

Fireshot Thaivisa.pdf 582.91 kB · 1 download

 

Not what I think the OP wants.  They want to save a protected PDF without the protection.  Very different thing from saving a web page.

 

Fireshot will capture an entire web page and save to pdf,  but it does not appear to capture an open pdf (that is open in the browser window) to a new pdf.

[dave s]

Command line program that lets you manipulate the different kinda of password on a PDF file:

    https://www.pdflabs.com/tools/pdftk-server/

You could remove the password from the existing file and mail the unprotected copy. If you then add a new, different password to the copy, it is again protected but you don't have to tell the recipient what the current password is. The program's "cat" operation just makes a new copy of some file.

[RichCor]

1 hour ago, Captain Monday said:

I did the screenshots but I had to upload 9 screenshots for one doc. Not elegant hope it is accepted.

You 'could' have rebundled them into a separate PDF. 

 

I'm assuming the document in question is a copyrighted work that the author is allowing you to view, but not copy or print, and is using the PDF security feature to protect their interests. If so, then discussing options (besides the simplistic screenshot option) might be in violation of the forum rules.

 

If the pdf document belongs to you, or the organization you work for, or there is no copyright or financial stake to protect, or someone unintentionally secured it then that might change things. This I understand as I have had to undo unintentional PDF locking for people who didn't understand the repercussions of password protecting their own documents.

 

Hopefully whatever it was you were trying to send is now sent and, as you hope, accepted by the receiving party.  

[torturedsole]

On 7/28/2020 at 8:26 PM, Captain Monday said:

How can I unlock a 9 page pdf file so I can attach it to an email without giving the recipient the password?

Let me get this straight in the first instance.  You are in possession of a pdf document that is password protected to open the document and you want to remove the password protection and then email the password-free document to your recipient?

 

If so, then it's quite easy to make the pdf document password-free but you may need an additional app.  So, in the first instance, you need to open the pdf document and enter your password.  Then you need to print, i.e. CTRL+P on Windows.  In the 'Name' dropdown of the print dialogue box you need to check if you can print to pdf, Nuance or suchlike.  If you can, then select the print device but don't press 'Print' just yet, merely enter the 'Properties' dialogue box to the right of the 'Name' field and goto the 'Security' tab.  All the options are then laid out before you.  You can restrict/un-restrict editing and/or password protect/unprotect the document.  

 

One last point, if you can achieve removal of the password then when you save the unrestricted pdf document then save it under a different file name, otherwise the password removal doesn't work, i.e. if you opened the original pdf document as Acme_Licence.pdf then when you come to save the unencrypted version then save it as something like Acme_Licence2.pdf. 

 

My employer does not permit unencrypted attachments to be transmitted by email so I password protect/unprotect pdfs every working day and our app is Nuance.  

 

 

[asiacurious]

35 minutes ago, RichCor said:

You 'could' have rebundled them into a separate PDF. 

 

I'm assuming the document in question is a copyrighted work that the author is allowing you to view, but not copy or print, and is using the PDF security feature to protect their interests. If so, then discussing options (besides the simplistic screenshot option) might be in violation of the forum rules.

I'm not sure that's a good assumption.  And more to the point, discussing it wouldn't be a violation here unless he told us it was a copyrighted work that he was trying to hack.  More likely the OP has a file that contains some data created specifically for him that he needs to send on. For example, it could have contained health records from a doctor that used his social security number as a password.  He might not want the end recipient to have that number.  I once made a form that clients would print and fill that had a password on it to prevent editing, and months later needed to make a change.  I'd forgotten the password.  Big PITA.

 

 

9 minutes ago, torturedsole said:

Let me get this straight in the first instance.  You are in possession of a pdf document that is password protected to open the document and you want to remove the password protection and then email the password-free document to your recipient?

 

If so, then it's quite easy to make the pdf document password-free but you may need an additional app.  So, in the first instance, you need to open the pdf document and enter your password.  Then you need to print, i.e. CTRL+P on Windows.  In the 'Name' dropdown of the print dialogue box you need to check if you can print to pdf, Nuance or suchlike.  If you can, then select the print device but don't press 'Print' just yet, merely enter the 'Properties' dialogue box to the right of the 'Name' field and goto the 'Security' tab.  All the options are then laid out before you.  You can restrict/un-restrict editing and/or password protect/unprotect the document.  

 

One last point, if you can achieve removal of the password then when you save the unrestricted pdf document then save it under a different file name, otherwise the password removal doesn't work, i.e. if you opened the original pdf document as Acme_Licence.pdf then when you come to save the unencrypted version then save it as something like Acme_Licence2.pdf. 

 

My employer does not permit unencrypted attachments to be transmitted by email so I password protect/unprotect pdfs every working day and our app is Nuance.  

 

 

 

The problem is that pdfs can have two passwords with different permissions for each level.  One level can allow opening with a password but prevent printing, editing, removing passwords.  The second level can allow all of that.

 

I just created a pdf and set the security options as follows:

 

 

I've just given it two passwords, the first is to open and the second to edit/change permissions.  After saving the pdf I open it using the first password and going into properties I see this security set:

 

 

I then close and re-open the file, this time using the edit/change permissions password.  Here are the security properties I now see:

 

 

It sounds like the OP only had the lower level password so he could view the file, but he didn't have permission to remove the password (which would be a "Changing the Document" permission in the list above).  And he may not have been able to print to pdf using another piece of software, as there are also ways to allow normal printing but block printing to another file.

[asiacurious]

1 hour ago, dave s said:

Command line program that lets you manipulate the different kinda of password on a PDF file:

    https://www.pdflabs.com/tools/pdftk-server/

You could remove the password from the existing file and mail the unprotected copy. If you then add a new, different password to the copy, it is again protected but you don't have to tell the recipient what the current password is. The program's "cat" operation just makes a new copy of some file.

Awesome little piece of software, but I don't think it'll work.

 

In my reply just above (assuming I get this reply in quickly) I created a test pdf file.  I set two passwords - "a" and "b".  "a" allows opening but not changing the document.  "b" allows changing the document.  Here were my results:

 

 

The second try with the "b" password generated the new file "worked.pdf"

 

 

But a great little piece of software!

 

Edit:  Of course it might work if the command line arguments I used aren't right.  Couldn't find anything else but there could be something.  Any ideas?

[torturedsole]

14 minutes ago, asiacurious said:

The problem is that pdfs can have two passwords with different permissions for each level.  One level can allow opening with a password but prevent printing, editing, removing passwords.  The second level can allow all of that.

If the OP is in possession of both of those passwords then he can restrict/un-restrict access as he sees fit.

 

I don't think we need to overcomplicate this as, unless I'm missing something, the OP merely wants to remove the password that opens the pdf document and email it to a friend and my solution works.

[LukKrueng]

7 hours ago, asiacurious said:

Locked pdfs usually have security restrictions on printing.  You may be able to print to paper, but you probably won't be able to print to another pdf, even using a different pdf print driver like the Microsoft pdf printer option.

 

There can be multiple locks on a pdf, so the password to open it for viewing and or printing to paper, may not allow you to save as or print to a new pdf.  There may be a separate password to give you full access to the file.

 

Screenshots or taking photos with your phone is one option.  If you can print to paper, you could then use your phone and an app (several good ones out there) to capture the individual pages and put them together into a new pdf.  They will just be images inside the pdf file (unless you run OCR on the images) so not searchable, but it'll give you a pdf you can at least send along.

Just tried printing a password secured PDF (CC monthly statement) to MS PDF printer. Worked fine and the new file opened with no password.

[Brock]

What sort of document is it, why does the recipient need it unprotected, and what sort of protection is being used??

A protected PDF can be emailed and viewed, but depending on the protections enabled, may not be able to be "saved as" a new document, printed or altered..

More details on the problem can refine the answers.

[chrisinth]

I'm a bit confused as to the OP's position. Assuming he does not have the password/locking code (otherwise he could unlock, save as, print, scan & make new pdf, etc.

 

I am not going to discuss the various methods of opening secured pdfs, but to cut to the chase the below graphic is of one of dozens of similar programs which will do the job for you. Websites visible on all search engines. Search engines are your friend if you need to look further; I use this program for company business.

 

[tomazbodner]

"Print" the file to XPS format and attach that. If recipient has a Windows machine, he'll be able to open it natively.

 

Password protected files generally can't be saved as files without password from just viewer/internet browser that supports PDF viewing. With Acrobat Professional however you can remove password and save it any way you want.

 

Using XPS, Microsoft's competitor to PDF that works in more or less the same way, is format conversion, hence password is removed.

[Headgame]

This is very easy to accomplish. Google “unlock pdf” and you will get multiple free sites where you upload your pdf and then unlock and a unlocked version will automatically download.

 

i do it all the time. 

[Speedhump]

You didn't think to Google 'PDF unlocker' ? 

 

I downloaded one years ago and still use it. It's never failed to remove a password from any pdf I've received. 

[WorriedNoodle]

I've always had success with VeryPDF PDF Password Remover (my last version was v3.1 but YMMV). Available in the usual places.

[longball53098]

20 hours ago, WorriedNoodle said:

I've always had success with VeryPDF PDF Password Remover (my last version was v3.1 but YMMV). Available in the usual places.

I have had no luck with different "Unlockers" on a US Tricare form. If I contact you would you be willing to try this app on the form?

[thedemon]

An easy way to unlock or edit a protected PDF file is to upload the file to Google Drive using Chrome. Once the file is uploaded, double click the file (from within Drive) to open it (with Chrome). It will now be possible to e.g. copy/paste the contents.

 

If you want to then save an editable copy of the PDF, use the Print function in Chrome but change the Destination option to "Save as PDF", NOT "Microsoft Print to PDF".

[RichCor]

4 hours ago, longball53098 said:

I have had no luck with different "Unlockers" on a US Tricare form.

Some PDFs are simply 'flagged' as password protected, and unlocker apps can clear the flag.

 

But the owner/author can additionally choose to "Encrypt with password".

[Ballpom]

VeryPDF PDF Password Remover failed to bring me luck, which is unfortunate.

[Ballpom]

The PDF password cracking tool I often use now is recommended by Google. Like this tutorial：

https://www.passgeeker.com/crack-pdf-password.html

It involves 4 methods to crack passwords.

Or try John the Ripper to Crack PDF Password.

https://www.techspot.com/downloads/6970-john-the-ripper.html

It should be noted that when using John the Ripper, there are many points to be careful. It is a software involving more text content, which is not a good choice for novices.