How to Remove a Password from PDF with Foxit

To remove a PDF password in Foxit PDF Editor, open the authorized document and select Protect > Secure Document > Remove Security. Enter the permissions password if Foxit asks for it, confirm the change, and save an unprotected copy. Foxit cannot remove an unknown open password from a file you are not authorized to access.

This guide explains the desktop steps, Foxit’s browser-based Unlock PDF tool, the limits to check before you start, and a local alternative for users who prefer to keep sensitive files on their own device.

Part 1. How to Remove a Password from PDF with Foxit PDF Editor

Before following the steps, identify the type of protection on the PDF. An open password prevents the file from opening, while a permissions password restricts actions such as editing, printing, or copying. Certificate-secured PDFs use a different security method and may require the matching digital ID. If you are learning the wider differences between these controls, see this guide to PDF password protection.

Foxit PDF Editor can remove password security when you have the required authorization. The free Foxit PDF Reader does not provide the complete password-removal workflow described below.

Step 1. Open the PDF in Foxit PDF Editor. If the document has an open password, enter it to access the file.

Step 2. Open the Protect tab and choose Secure Document > Remove Security.

Step 3. Confirm that you want to remove the security. If the PDF has a permissions password, enter it and click OK.

Step 4. Select File > Save, or use Save As to keep the protected original and create a separate unprotected copy.

You can also open File > Properties > Security, set Security Method to No Protection, and save the file. Foxit documents both paths in its official Remove Security instructions.

Part 2. How to Remove a PDF Password with Foxit Online

If you do not want to install the desktop editor, Foxit also offers an online Unlock PDF tool. This option is useful for a non-sensitive file when you already know its password.

1. Open Foxit’s online Unlock PDF tool.
2. Upload the protected PDF.
3. Enter the correct password when prompted and start the unlocking process.
4. Download the unlocked PDF and test that it opens without the previous password.

Only upload a file you own or are authorized to modify. Because an online tool transfers the document to a remote service for processing, a desktop workflow may be more appropriate for bank statements, contracts, HR records, or other confidential files. For additional methods, see how to remove a password from a PDF.

Part 3. What to Check Before Using Foxit

Foxit can complete this task, so the choice mainly depends on where you want to process the file and which plan fits your workflow. The following points replace the outdated assumption that Foxit only provides basic features.

Prices and plan contents can change, so confirm them on the official Foxit pricing page. If you are comparing long-term cost, interface, platform coverage, and other PDF features, this Foxit vs. UPDF comparison offers a broader feature-by-feature view.

Part 4. How to Remove a PDF Password with a Foxit Alternative

UPDF is a practical alternative when you want to remove known password protection locally on Windows or Mac. It can remove an open password after you use it to access the document, and it can remove editing, printing, or copying restrictions after you provide the permissions password. The PDF tools work on the device, which is useful when you prefer not to upload a sensitive file to an online unlocker.

Download UPDF below to try the workflow. After installing it, follow these steps to save an unprotected copy.

Step 1. Launch UPDF and click Open File.

Step 2. If the PDF has an open password, enter it and click Unlock to access the document.

Step 3. Expand the Save menu in the upper-right corner and choose Remove Security.

Step 4. If UPDF asks for a permissions password, enter it and confirm the removal.

Step 5. Choose a destination and save the unprotected copy. The exact button label can vary slightly by version, but the current workflow is available in this guide to remove a PDF password on Windows.

Neither Foxit nor UPDF should be presented as a tool for bypassing an unknown password. If you forgot the password, first try an authorized backup, the document owner, your password manager, or the recovery checks in this forgot PDF password guide.

Final Words

Foxit removes PDF security reliably when you know the required password: use Protect > Secure Document > Remove Security in the desktop editor, or use its online unlocker for a suitable non-sensitive file. If you prefer a local, cross-platform alternative, UPDF provides a short password-removal workflow and broader PDF editing tools in the same app.