How to Remove Password from PDF (4 Foolproof Methods)

A password is a great tool to protect your PDF from being opened, copied, edited, or printed. However, managing locked files can quickly become a bottleneck—whether you are dealing with a forgotten owner restriction, bulk processing contracts, or simply trying to streamline your daily workflow.

To remove password from PDF files effectively, choosing the right tool depends entirely on your situation:

• Scenario A (Known Password): You know the open password and want to permanently deactivate PDF password security for seamless editing, printing, and sharing.
• Scenario B (Permission Restrictions): You can view the document, but printing, copying text, or editing form fields are grayed out.
• Scenario C (Forgot Password): You need dedicated recovery software if you forgot PDF password credentials completely.

Whether you need a quick online fix, a browser-based hack, or a high-security desktop solution, this guide breaks down 4 effective ways on how to remove password protection from a PDF document.

How to Remove a Password from a PDF File with aJoysoft

When handling multi-file decryption or batch processing, a specialized lightweight utility is often the fastest route. aJoysoft PDF Password Remover is engineered specifically for fast batch decryption and stripping away permission limits.

Steps on How to Remove the Password Security from PDF via aJoysoft:

1. Launch aJoysoft and click "Add Files" or drag and drop your encrypted PDFs into the queue. You can load up to 200 files for simultaneous bulk processing.

2. If your PDF only has permission restrictions (printing/copying blocked), no padlock icon will appear. Click "Remove Password" directly to eliminate all editing and printing limits instantly.

3. If the PDF requires a password to view, click the padlock symbol next to the file, enter the correct open password, and click "OK". Then click "Remove Password" to output fully unlocked copies.

Note: If you have completely forgotten the open password for an encrypted file, a standard remover won't work—you will need a specialized PDF password remover utility or recovery tool.

💡 Important Notice on How to Get aJoysoft:

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1. UPDF Pro (Yearly)
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How to Remove Security from PDF with UPDF (Known Password)

If you know the password and want more than just an unlocked file, UPDF is the ultimate solution. It is a modern, all-in-one PDF editor that combines security removal with full editing, page management, and AI acceleration.

Steps to Remove Password Protection from PDF with UPDF:

1. Launch UPDF and click the "Open File" button to load your document. If the file has an open password, enter it when prompted.

2. Click the "Protect Using Password" icon on the right toolbar. Select "Remove Security", then click "Remove" in the popup dialog. Save your newly unlocked document to your preferred folder.

Key Highlights of UPDF:

• Advanced Security & Protection Controls: Beyond unlocking, UPDF is also a powerful PDF security hub. You can set custom open passwords or fine-grained permission controls—such as toggling high/low-resolution printing or restricting document modification.
• Comprehensive Unlocking & Saving: UPDF allows you to remove open passwords and granular permission restrictions (e.g., printing, editing, commenting, page insertion, and form filling). Once unlocked, saving the document creates a clean, unprotected copy for unrestricted use.
• Native Document Editing: After learning how to edit secured PDF files with UPDF, you can directly modify existing text layers, adjust image elements, edit hyperlinks, or sign official forms without switching apps.

To know more about UPDF, you can read this UPDF review article from Howtogeek and watch the below review video.

UPDF allows you to remove passwords from PDF if you know the password. You can follow the below guide to remove PDF password with UPDF.

Step 1. Open the Protected PDF

Run UPDF and you will see there is an "Open File" button on the main interface. Click on it and select the PDF file you want to open. If it has an open password, it will ask you to enter the open password.

Step 2. Unprotect PDF

If you want to unprotect PDF, you should click the narrow next to "Save" and choose the "Remove Password" option. Then click "Unlock". This is how you use UPDF to remove password protection from PDF.

It is super easy to remove PDF passwords with UPDF. Just click the below button to download UPDF and start using it.

How to Remove Password Protection from PDF in Chrome

If you don't want to install third-party software and already know the password, you can use Google Chrome's built-in print driver as a quick workaround.

Steps on How to Remove Password Protection from a PDF Document via Chrome:

Step 1: Open the protected PDF on Google Chrome. If the PDF has no printing constraints, this method will work. You can open it by dragging the PDF file into Chrome or you can right-click the PDF document and then choose "Open with > Google Chrome".

Step 2: Click the "Print" icon on the top right corner, or you can press "Ctrl + P" on Windows, and "Command + P" on Mac.

Step 3: Now you can save the PDF without a password. Click the "Change" button under Destination and select "Save as PDF", finally, click "Save". This will help you save a new PDF document that includes the same information but without passwords.

How to Remove Security from PDF with Google Drive

Another common web-based approach is using Google Drive or web converters to unlock PDF online.

Steps to Remove Password from PDF via Google Drive:

Step 1: Upload the encrypted PDF by clicking "My Drive" > "File upload". Select the PDF file and upload it to Google Drive.

Step 2: Right-click the PDF and choose "Open with" > "Google Docs". Opening PDF with Google Docs can help you create a new document without a password.

Step 3: Then you need to go to "File" > "Download" > "PDF Document(.PDF)". This is for you to save a duplicated PDF document without a password.

Comparison of Methods to Remove Passwords from PDF

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

Knowing how to remove password protection from a PDF is essential for keeping your daily workflows smooth and unrestricted. While browser workarounds like Google Chrome or online converters serve well for quick, casual tasks, they come with layout breaking and privacy risks.

For bulk processing or removing permission locks, aJoysoft is a reliable choice—especially since you can claim its lifetime license for free by purchasing a UPDF plan! However, if you want a complete document workspace that lets you unlock, edit, annotate, sign, and re-protect your files seamlessly, UPDF is the most powerful and secure desktop solution available. Download UPDF today to take total control of your PDF security!