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How to Open Password Protected PDF – 8 Working Methods

PDF format has become an integral part of our daily lives. Almost all important documents are available in PDF format. However, what if the PDF document is password protected? A user cannot open a PDF file or perform certain actions on it unless he knows the password. This is a major issue for many users. So, we are here to help you with 100% working methods to open a password protected PDF file on Mac and Windows.

But first, let us understand what users mean by a password protected PDF file and how many types of password protection exist in PDF format.

What do we mean by password protected PDF?

A password protected PDF file is one that is protected with a password. There are two types of passwords associated with PDFs: Owner (permission) passwords and user (document-open) passwords. Owner passwords control document permissions like edit, copy, print, etc., while user passwords restrict opening the document altogether.

In general, when we talk about password protected PDFs, we mean the user password. But there are many cases where users have to deal with the owner password. So, we have decided to include both of them in this article.

Different Methods to Open Password Protected PDF File

Users can go through the given methods and understand how they deal with both password types. Then, choose the method that suits their needs the best.

Open Password Protected PDF and Save Without Password

Users can opt for PDF Password Unlocker Software to remove both owner and user passwords. It is a versatile tool that removes known user password and unknown owner password. That is to say, if the user knows the password required to access the file, the software will remove it. But for the owner (permissions) password, the software will directly bypass PDF permissions without any user intervention.

Watch the video to learn how to open password protected PDF file and save without password.

How to Open Password Protected PDF Without Password

This method involves using specialized software to remove both types of passwords. Choose a software based on the type of password protected PDF file:

• Document-open password – If the PDF file has document-open password, and the user want to access the file without password, then opt for a third-party software that specializes in cracking passwords. But first, do make sure that it is legal and within your rights to so.
• Permissions password – If the PDF file has permissions password, then users can remove permissions from PDF file using the above-mentioned tool (with video) or by using Adobe Acrobat DC. To open password protected PDF without password, opt for the recommended software. To do so with password, use Adobe Acrobat DC.

How to Open Password Protected PDF Adobe Reader

Adobe Reader offers a method to open password-protected PDFs, but it requires the user password. If the user has the user-password, then do the following:

1. Open the Adobe Reader application on your computer.
2. Go to File >> Open and open the PDF in Adobe Reader.
3. The app will ask users to enter a password.
4. Enter the password when prompted, and Adobe Reader will open the document.

If the user wants to open a password-protected PDF having permissions password, then Adobe Reader will not work. It is a free software meant for only reading PDF documents, not removing restrictions from PDFs.

In such cases, use Adobe Acrobat DC to open password-protected PDF documents. Again, you need to know the password. Here are the steps:

1. Open the Adobe Acrobat DC application on your computer.
2. Go to File >> Open and select the PDF file.
3. Once the file is open, go to the File menu and select Properties.
4. Click on the Security tab and select No Security option from the list.
5. Enter the owner password and click OK.
6. Finally, save the PDF to apply the security changes.

Open Password Protected PDF on Mac

Mac users can open password-protected PDFs using the Preview app and Adobe Acrobat for Mac.

1. Right-click on the PDF document and select Open with >> Preview.
2. If the file has open-password in it, Preview app will prompt the user to enter the password.
3. At this point enter the user password when prompted and click OK.
4. Finally, the PDF file is now open in the Preview app.

If the PDF file has owner-password in it, and the user is unable to perform certain actions on the file, then use PDF Password Remover for Mac to first remove this password, then open the PDF file in any supportive application including Preview.

Here is the process:

1. Start the software on your Mac machine.
2. Click on Add File and then add password protected PDF file.
3. Once done, enter the password in the field if the file has document-open password.
4. If not, simply continue.
5. Choose where you want to save the file without password.
6. Finally, click the Unlock button.
7. Once you have the new PDF file, open it in any application like Preview, Adobe etc. to view it.

Open Password Protected PDF in Word

Microsoft Word can only open password-protected PDF file if the file has permission password. If it contains document-open password, Microsoft Word will prompt the user that the file is inaccessible or corrupted.

1. Open Microsoft Word.
2. Go to File >> Open and browse for the PDF file.
3. Click OK when Word asks to convert the file.
4. Finally, the PDF is open in Outlook.

How to Open Password Protected PDF in Google Drive

Google Drive is a cloud-based storage service that allows you to save all the files online. When opening a file in Google Drive, users can choose the best supportive application like Google docs, sheets, etc. to open the file.

Users can also open password protected PDF in Google Drive. To do this:

1. Upload the password-protected PDF to Google Drive.
2. Right-click on the PDF, choose “Open with,” and select Google Docs.
3. Google will prompt you to enter the PDF’s password, after which you can view and edit the document.

How to Open Password Protected PDF in Google Chrome

Google Chrome allows you to view password-protected PDFs. It works in both cases: Files having open-password and permission-password. Here is the process in Chrome:

1. Right-click on the PDF and select Open With > Google Chrome.
2. Enter the password when prompted to access the document.

FAQ – How to Open Password Protected PDF in Gmail

Gmail does not provide direct support for opening password-protected PDFs. You may need to download the PDF and use one of the methods mentioned above to open it.

Summary

Just because a PDF file is protected doesn’t mean it cannot be accessed. There are several ways to open a password protected PDF. If user has the password for the file, then the process is very easy. But if not, then the process can be difficult and users will need to use external software to crack the password. Just make sure that what you are doing is legal and not against the law.