How to Remove a Password From a PDF (When You Know It)

A password on a PDF is useful when you send it, and a nuisance when it's your own file and you have to type the code every time. If you know the password, removing it takes under a minute. If you don't, the honest answer is that you'll need to ask whoever made the file. Here's how to remove it in Acrobat, on a Mac and with a free method that works in any browser.

The two kinds of PDF protection

Password type	What it does	Signs you have it
Document Open password	Stops the file opening at all	You're asked for a password before you see anything
Permissions password	Blocks printing, editing or copying	The file opens, but some options are greyed out

Adobe treats these separately, and a PDF can have one or both. Removing the open password stops the prompt every time you open it; removing the permissions password lets you edit and print freely.

Remove a PDF password in Adobe Acrobat

1. Open the PDF in Acrobat and enter the password.
2. Select All tools, then Protect a PDF.
3. Choose Remove security.
4. If asked, type the permissions password and confirm.
5. Save the PDF. The change only sticks once you've saved.

If the file only had an open password, Adobe's route is through the security settings: untick Require a password to open the document, confirm and save. Next time it opens without a prompt.

Remove a PDF password on a Mac with Preview

1. Open the PDF in Preview and enter the password.
2. Choose File, then Export as PDF, or Export.
3. Look for the Encrypt option or Permissions and make sure encryption is switched off.
4. Save the new copy with a slightly different name.

The exported copy opens without a password. Keep the original until you've checked the new one opens cleanly, then delete whichever copy you don't need so you're not left with two versions of the same document in different folders.

The print-to-PDF method

If the file opens with your password but you don't have Acrobat, open it in Chrome or Edge, press Ctrl and P (Command and P on a Mac), choose Save as PDF as the printer and save. The new file has no password. It won't work if printing is blocked by a permissions password, and interactive features such as form fields may be flattened, so check the result.

When you don't know the password

Adobe is clear that if you forget a password, Acrobat can't recover it from the PDF. For a permissions password, Adobe's advice is to contact the author. That's the right step for documents from banks, HR, lawyers or suppliers too: ask them for an unprotected copy or the password. Websites that promise to strip unknown passwords ask you to upload a private document to a stranger, which is a bad trade for anything confidential.

When even the right password won't remove it

• Server-based security: Adobe says only the policy author or a server administrator can change PDFs protected this way, common in corporate document systems.
• Certificate encryption: files encrypted to a digital certificate need the matching certificate, not a password.
• Read-only copies: some viewers can open a protected PDF but can't save changes. Use Acrobat or Preview.

On Windows without Acrobat

Windows doesn't have a built-in PDF editor that removes security, but Microsoft Edge opens protected PDFs once you type the password, and the print-to-PDF method above works from Edge. Choose Microsoft Print to PDF or Save as PDF as the printer, save the copy, and open it to check there's no prompt. If the file is a form you still need to fill in, fill it in first, then print to PDF, because printing turns the fields into flat text.

Before you remove it, think about why it's there

Statements, payslips and contracts are often protected because they hold personal details. Once you remove the password, anyone who gets the file can open it. Keep unprotected copies on your own encrypted computer, not in shared folders, and add a password back before you send them anywhere. Acrobat's Protect a PDF tool does that in reverse.

If you're storing lots of document passwords, a password manager keeps them safe. My guide to open-source password managers covers good options, and if you plan to run a PDF through an AI tool, my guide to uploading a PDF to ChatGPT explains why protected files fail there.

My verdict

If you know the password, use Acrobat's Remove security, or on a Mac export a copy from Preview with encryption off, and save. If you don't, ask the sender rather than uploading a private file to an online tool you know nothing about. And remember the file is now open to anyone who gets hold of it, so store it carefully.

Frequently asked questions

How do I remove a password from a PDF?

Open it with the password in Acrobat, choose All tools, Protect a PDF, Remove security, and save.

Can I remove a PDF password without Acrobat?

Yes. On a Mac use Preview's export, or print to Save as PDF in a browser if printing is allowed.

Can I remove a PDF password I don't know?

Not with Acrobat. Ask the person who created the file.

Why can't I remove security from a PDF?

It may use server-based security or certificate encryption, which only the owner or administrator can change.

What's the difference between PDF open and permissions passwords?

An open password stops the file opening; a permissions password blocks printing, editing or copying.

Is it safe to use online PDF password removers?

Not for private documents, because you upload the file to a third party.