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Kaisond's avatar
Kaisond
Tin Contributor
Jul 10, 2026

How to eliminate or delete password in pdf from my PC?

Have a PDF that was password protected some time ago and need to remove the protection entirely so it can be opened and shared freely without requiring a password every time. However, I can't access this PDF anymore as I forgot PDF password.

Tried looking through the options in a couple of PDF readers but nothing obvious stands out for eliminating PDF password. Not sure if this requires a specific tool or if there's a straightforward built-in way to save a decrypted copy of the file on Windows.

Anyone dealt with this before? Would love to know the cleanest and most reliable way to permanently delete password in a PDF without jumping through too many hoops.

10 Replies

  • How to eliminate PDF password? you've forgotten the password and want to use Python to get back into your PDF. This tool checks your PDF's encryption type and automatically tries multiple unlocking methods.

    1. Install Python and pip: Ensure Python 3 is installed on your system.

    2. Install the tool: Open your command prompt or terminal and run:

    bash

    pip install upppdf

    3. Prepare your PDF: Place your password-protected PDF file somewhere easy to find, like your Downloads folder.

    4. Run the script:

    To unlock a specific PDF, navigate to its folder in the terminal and use:

    bash

    upppdf -f "yourfile.pdf"

    To process all PDFs in a specific folder, use:

    bash

    upppdf -i "C:\path\to\your\pdfs" -o "C:\path\to\output"

    5. Check the output: If successful, the unlocked PDF will be saved in the Unlocked_PDFs folder (or the custom output folder you specified).

    I hope this method will be helpful to you if you want to know how to eliminate PDF password.

  • Thatcherw's avatar
    Thatcherw
    Iron Contributor

    If you already know the password to an encrypted PDF, you can easily remove the protection using the built-in Print to PDF feature in modern web browsers. Both Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome offer a simple, free method to how to delete password in pdf without needing to install any third-party software.

    How to Delete Password in PDF

    For Microsoft Edge:

    • Right-click the file, select Open with... > Edge, and then enter the password.
    • Press Ctrl + P to open the print dialog box, and select “Microsoft Print to PDF” as the printer.
    • Click “Print” to save a new, unprotected copy.

    For Google Chrome:

    • Drag and drop the encrypted file into a Chrome window, enter the password,
    • and press Ctrl + P.
    • Select “Save as PDF” as the destination,
    • and click Save to generate an unencrypted file.

    Disadvantages: The newly generated PDF may lose interactive elements such as bookmarks, form fields, and embedded hyperlinks.

    Using a browser-based workaround is an extremely efficient way to quickly remove a PDF password. By virtually printing the document to a new file, you can bypass the original security restrictions and end up with a standard PDF file that can be opened without a password.

    P.S.

    • This only works if you know the open password. If you do not know the password, you cannot bypass the password restrictions.
    • If the PDF file has a permission password, you can successfully remove these restrictions.
    • For highly sensitive or confidential documents, we recommend using offline methods such as Edge or Chrome rather than online PDF unlocking tools to protect your data privacy.
  • On a Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC, you can remove password protection from a PDF if you know the current password and are authorized to change the document. If you have forgotten the password or never knew it, none of the methods below can recover, crack, or bypass it.

    Before choosing a method, identify the type of protection:

    • A document open password must be entered before the PDF can be opened.
    • A permissions or owner password restricts actions such as editing, copying, printing, or extracting pages.

    A PDF may use either type of password or both. Microsoft Print to PDF will not work if printing is blocked. A desktop PDF editor can save an unlocked copy or overwrite the original file, whereas Microsoft Print to PDF always creates a replacement document.

    • Built-in method

    Create an unprotected copy with Microsoft Print to PDF

    Windows does not include a tool that truly removes PDF security from the original file. If you can open and print the PDF, Microsoft Edge and Microsoft Print to PDF can recreate its visible pages as a new, unprotected document.

    1. Open the PDF in Microsoft Edge and enter its password.
    2. Press Ctrl + P.
    3. Select Microsoft Print to PDF.
    4. Click Print and save the new PDF under a different name.
    5. Reopen the new file and confirm that it no longer requests a password.

    This is a workaround rather than genuine password removal. It will not work when printing is prohibited, and the recreated PDF may lose bookmarks, links, forms, comments, layers, attachments, accessibility information, and digital signatures. To preserve the PDF’s original structure, use a dedicated PDF editor instead.

    • Online tools

    Unlock a PDF online with PDFgear

    PDFgear Online provides a free Unlock PDF tool for Windows that does not require an account or sign-in. You must enter the correct password before the protection can be removed.

    1. Open PDFgear's online Unlock PDF tool: https://www.pdfgear.com/unlock-pdf/.
    2. Click Select PDF File and choose the protected document.
    3. Enter the current password.
    4. Click Unlock.
    5. Download and reopen the unlocked PDF.

    PDFgear's online password-removal tool processes the PDF locally in the browser rather than uploading it to a server. After downloading the result, reopen it to verify that the password prompt has been removed.

    • Desktop applications

    Remove PDF password protection for free with PDFgear

    PDFgear is a free PDF editor for Windows that does not require an account or sign-in. It removes password protection without recreating every page, helping retain the original PDF structure and supported document elements.

    1. Open the protected PDF in PDFgear.
    2. Enter the password to unlock the document.
    3. Go to the Protect section and select Remove.
    4. Click Yes to confirm the removal.
    5. Save the unlocked file or save an unlocked copy under a new name.

    All features in the PDFgear desktop app run locally and can be used offline, so PDF files do not need to be uploaded to a server. Save the unlocked document under a new name so the protected original remains available.

    Remove security with Adobe Acrobat Pro

    Adobe Acrobat Online does not currently provide a tool for removing PDF passwords. To remove the password, use another online tool or the paid Adobe Acrobat Pro desktop application. The free Adobe Acrobat Reader can open a protected PDF when you know the password, but it does not provide the Remove Security function.

    1. Open the protected PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro and enter its password.
    2. Select All tools > Protect a PDF.
    3. Choose Remove Security. In older versions, use Protect > Encrypt > Remove Security.
    4. Click OK to confirm.
    5. Save the unlocked PDF under a new name, then reopen it and check its security settings.

    If the PDF uses a document open password, Acrobat asks for that password when the file is opened. If it uses a permissions password, Acrobat may request the owner password when you remove security.

    For a basic printable PDF, Microsoft Print to PDF may be sufficient, but it creates a replacement document and can remove important features. Use PDFgear or Acrobat Pro when you need to remove the password while retaining the PDF's original structure. If you do not know the password, request it or an unlocked copy from the document owner.

  • AAbner's avatar
    AAbner
    Iron Contributor

    Preview is the default built-in image and PDF viewer in macOS. You can use it as a simple offline way to how to eliminate pdf password files, but please note that it only runs on Apple Mac devices and cannot be used on Windows systems. Its native export feature provides a straightforward method for removing restrictions without additional software.

    It allows you to open password-protected PDF files and disable encryption when exporting a new copy, but you must first enter the original PDF password to open the protected file.

    Instructions: Right-click the encrypted PDF file and select “Open with Preview,” then enter the correct PDF password to unlock the document. Click “File” → “Export” in the top menu bar. In the export window, uncheck the “Encrypt” checkbox, select a save location, and click “Save” to generate a brand-new, password-free PDF file.

    Once the export process is complete, the newly generated PDF will have all password encryption completely removed. This makes it an effective solution for users looking for how to eliminate pdf password protection using built-in tools.

    Its advantages include: it comes pre-installed on all macOS computers, requiring no additional downloads; all file processing is done locally, avoiding the privacy risks associated with cloud uploads; and PDF encryption can be removed with just a single, simple export step.

    Its disadvantages include: it only supports macOS and is completely incompatible with Windows; the PDF cannot be unlocked without the original password; and it renders complex, multi-layered PDF forms poorly.

    This method uses the native export feature of the Preview app to remove password protection from a PDF, so it is only suitable for Mac users who know the original PDF’s open password.

    If you’re using a Mac and want to quickly resolve this issue without relying on third-party PDF software, you can try this method. However, it is not supported on Windows devices and may break advanced interactive elements in the PDF, so please proceed with caution when handling complex official documents.

  • wsophia's avatar
    wsophia
    Bronze Contributor

    If you are finding a way on how to eliminate PDF password. John the Ripper is a well-known, free, open-source password cracker, and it's fully capable of handling PDFs. The general process to eliminate PDF password is a two-step dance:

    1. Extract the Hash: You can't feed the PDF directly into John. First, you use a companion tool called pdf2 john (or pdf2 john.pl) to pull out the password's "hash" – a cryptographic fingerprint of the password. The command looks something like this: perl pdf2 john.pl your_file. pdf > hash.txt.

    2. Crack the Hash: Then, you run John on that hash.txt file. You can use a wordlist (a list of common passwords) like the famous rockyou.txt with a command like: john --wordlist=rockyou.txt hash .txt.

    If the password is weak and in your wordlist, John will find it and you'll know how to eliminate PDF password in no time.

    John the Ripper is a powerful, free tool that is definitely a viable path to explore. Just go in with realistic expectations: it's a time-consuming process that relies on guessing, and it's only effective if the password is weak enough to be found in a wordlist or is short enough to be brute-forced.

  • Helcena's avatar
    Helcena
    Tin Contributor

    Here's the casual, practical guide to using ZipRipper. Just remember, it's a password recovery tool, meaning it tries to guess the password for you . It doesn't magically remove the password—it cracks it by trying millions of guesses . If the password is complex, this can take a long time, from minutes to potentially weeks .

    How to Delete Password in PDF via ZipRipper:

    The process is surprisingly straightforward, especially since it has a basic graphical interface.

    1. Download and Extract.

    2. Run the Script:

    • Open the extracted folder and double-click the file named ZipRipper. cmd.
    • Windows might show a security warning. Click on "More info" and then "Run anyway" to proceed.

    3. Start the Process:

    • A small window will appear. Click the "Start" button to begin .
    • A pop-up will ask you to select your password-protected PDF file. Find your file and click "Open" .

    4. Wait for the Magic (and the Cracking):

    • The program will start downloading some resources it needs (like password dictionaries) and then begin the cracking process .
    • When a pop-up asks "Would you like to download the offline dictionary?", it's usually fine to click "No" to continue with the online process .
    • Now, the waiting game begins. The time it takes depends entirely on how complex your password is and how powerful your hardware is .

    5. Get Your Password:

    • Once ZipRipper finds the password, it will show it to you in a pop-up window and highlight it in the main script window .
    • The password is also automatically saved to a text file on your Desktop named ZipRipper- Passwords. txt .

     

    So, to sum it up, using ZipRipper is a completely viable, free method to learn how to delete password in PDF by recovering the forgotten password. It's a straightforward tool, but just be prepared for a potentially long wait if your password is complex. The process will also show you how to delete password in PDF by essentially recovering the password for you.

  • PhoenixAdler's avatar
    PhoenixAdler
    Iron Contributor

    Microsoft Word is a versatile tool commonly used for document editing, but it’s also an effective how to delete password in pdf without specialized PDF software.

    By converting a protected file into an editable Word document and then saving it back as a PDF, you can remove the original security restrictions.

    To use this method, open Microsoft Word, click File > Open, and then select your encrypted PDF file.

    When prompted, enter the password to allow Word to convert the PDF into an editable document.

    Once the conversion is complete, go to File > Save As, and select PDF from the File Format drop-down menu. Before saving, click the Options... button in the Save dialog box. In the Options menu, ensure that the Encrypt document with a password” checkbox is unchecked, then proceed to save the file.

    This process effectively creates a new version of the document, providing a reliable how to delete password in pdf using tools already available on most computers. Please note, however, that complex formatting may undergo minor changes during the conversion process.

    Disadvantages

    • Requires the password for the original PDF; cannot unlock files with unknown passwords
    • Complex PDF layouts, tables, images, and fonts often become distorted after conversion
    • Does not support DRM-protected PDFs or advanced PDF encryption standards
    • Converting and resaving long, multi-page PDFs takes a significant amount of time
  • Sophiaop's avatar
    Sophiaop
    Copper Contributor

    This is where q pdf shines. It's a command-line tool, which might sound intimidating, but the command to remove the password is surprisingly simple. If you want to know how to delete password in PDF with q pdf, it's a single line:

    bash

    q pdf --password=YourPassword --decrypt input.pdf output.pdf

    --password= is where you type the actual password you know.

    --decrypt tells it to remove the encryption.

    input.pdf is your locked file, and output.pdf is the new, unlocked one.

    Some people even build simple GUI tools or batch scripts around q pdf just to make that "how to delete password in PDF" process even easier for Windows. It works for both the "open" password and the "permissions" password (the one that stops you from printing).

    So, if you're in the "forgot" camp, you're out of luck with q pdf. You'd need to look into other methods (like brute-force guessing, which is a whole different beast and usually takes forever). The command-line syntax itself has a slight security downside, too—you're typing the password directly in the command, which means it gets saved in your shell history. For a quick fix on your personal machine, it's fine, but it's worth knowing.

  • Stonehu's avatar
    Stonehu
    Iron Contributor

    PDFsam Basic is a desktop PDF editing tool that can be how to eliminate pdf password; its built-in protection module provides a simple offline method for removing PDF passwords without having to upload the file to a cloud server. The tool resets the password field to an empty value, thereby removing both the user open password and the owner edit restrictions; however, you must know the original PDF password to complete the unlocking process.

    How to eliminate PDF Password

    Step 1: Download the software from the official website and launch it.

    Step 2: On the main interface, switch to the “Protection” module.

    Step 3: Import your password-protected PDF file into the program list.

    Step 4: Enter the original password for the encrypted PDF document.

    Step 5: Clear the User Password and Owner Password fields, leaving them blank.

    Step 6: Click the Run button to generate an unencrypted PDF file without a password.

    This local tool can completely remove PDF encryption without the risks associated with uploading files online, but you must have the password for the original file to perform the decryption.

    Pros

    • All processing is performed locally on the computer
    • Supports removing open passwords and editing permission locks

    Cons

    • If the original password is lost or forgotten, the PDF file cannot be unlocked
    • Supports only standard PDF encryption; does not work on PDF files protected by advanced DRM
    • Requires manually entering the password for each encrypted PDF file