How to Unlock a Secure PDF File

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Travis Boylls. Travis Boylls is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Travis has experience writing technology-related articles, providing software customer service, and in graphic design. He specializes in Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and Linux platforms. He studied graphic design at Pikes Peak Community College.

wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 50 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status.

This article has been viewed 5,502,053 times.

This wikiHow teaches you how to view or print a password-protected PDF file's contents. There are two types of secure PDFs: user-locked, which means you need a password to view the contents, and owner-locked, which means you need a password to copy, print, or otherwise modify the PDF's contents. There is no way to unlock a secure PDF if you do not know the password. If you want to remove a known user password from a PDF, you can use either Soda PDF or Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Method 1 of 2:

Using Adobe Acrobat to Remove a User Password

Open Adobe Acrobat Pro. This is the paid version of Adobe Acrobat; if you only have the Adobe Acrobat Reader, you won't be able to unlock your PDF with this method.

Alternatively, if your PDF reader has a "Recently Viewed" tab, you can check there to see if the PDF you need is displayed.

Click Open . If you elected to look for the PDF in the "Recently Viewed" section, skip this step.

You may have to select a new directory (e.g., Desktop or Documents) first to locate the PDF in question.
Alternatively, you can open a PDF by double-clicking the file. If this doesn't open the file in Acrobat Pro, right-click the file and click Open with. Then click Adobe Acrobat Pro.

If you don't know the user password, you cannot unlock the PDF.

Click the padlock icon. It's on the left side of the screen beneath the "Home" tab.

Click Permission Details . This is a link below the "Security Settings" heading.

Click the Security Method box. It will say something like "Password Security".

Select No Security . This should be an option in the drop-down menu that appears.

Enter the password again (If prompted). Type in the PDF's password, then click OK twice. As long as your password was correct, your PDF will no longer have a password lock on it.

Save your PDF. To save the PDF, click the icon that resembles a floppy disk at the top of the screen. Alternatively, you can click File followed by Save or Save as.

Advertisement Method 2 of 2:

Using Soda PDF to Remove a User Password

You cannot unlock a PDF file if you do not know the password.

Click CHOOSE FILE . It's the pink button in the center of the page. Doing so prompts a File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) window to open.

Select your PDF file. In the window that opens, go to the location in which your PDF is stored, then click the PDF once to select it.

Click Open . It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. Doing so uploads your selected PDF to Soda PDF.

Enter the user password. In the text box which appears, type in the password used to unlock the PDF.

Click UNLOCK . This pink button is below the password text box. Soda PDF will remove the encryption from the PDF.

Click Download File or Preview File . To download an unsecured version of the document, click the pink button that says "Download File." To preview the file inside your web browser, click Preview File.

Community Q&A

My files are loaded, so why can't I view them? Community Answer Try downloading them again. You may also have a virus on your computer which you need to check out.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

Ask a Question 200 characters left Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Advertisement wikiHow Video: ONLINE Unlock Secured(LOCKED) PDF File, without any software

For any questions related to the Adobe Acrobat suite of software, use the Frequently Asked Questions page on Adobe's website.

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Please provide your name and last initial Thanks for submitting a tip for review!