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Know How to Break PDF Password / PDF Encryption?

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Published By Nilesh Kumar
Debasish Pramanik
Approved By Debasish Pramanik
Published On March 20th, 2025
Reading Time 5 Minutes Reading
Category Adobe PDF

Overview: Are you searching for an instant and reliable solution for how to break PDF Password? Are you unable to access the PDF files directly or unable to perform some operations like copying, editing, printing, etc? Well, you have landed in the right place as this blog provides the solution on how to break PDF encryption.

Encrypting PDF files is a good thing as it protects your files from unauthorized access. It maintains your content’s confidentiality and originality. But, in some situations, it feels annoying to enter the password to open a PDF each time. Also, there are times, when users forget the password of their PDF files and also can’t perform print, copy, and edit types of actions.

Reasons to Break PDF Password / Remove Encryption

There are some genuine reasons for removing the password protection from a PDF file:

  • Maybe you’ve set one and forgotten it later.
  • Some PDF files don’t allow editing or printing, nor copying text.
  • You received a password-protected PDF but need to change it.
  • Password entering again and again might be a little inconvenient.
  • Just in case, to ensure that you can always access important documents if forgot the password.

Manual Steps to Break PDF Password

We are going to show you three manual methods to achieve this. Follow these steps from the given part:

1. Use Google Chrome (For Non-Owner Passwords)

If a PDF file has restrictions (e.g., printing is disabled, copying is not allowed), Google Chrome would be the great choice:

Steps to Follow

  1. Open the locked PDF in Google Chrome.
  2. Click on the Print icon (Ctrl + P).
  3. Choose the Destination as Save as PDF and click Save.
  4. An unlocked PDF will be saved on your hard disk.

Drawback: This only works for user-restricted PDF files and does not apply to owner-encrypted PDF files.

2. Use Adobe Acrobat (If You Know the Password)

If you have the password, remove it usingAdobe Acrobat method:

Steps:

  • Firstly, open the PDF file using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.
  • Next, click on File > Properties > Security tab.
  • Then, click on Change Settings, and set the security to No Security.
  • At last, enter the password and then save the file.

3. Use Online PDF Unlocking Services

This is the method where you have to search on the web for online tools to unlock your PDF. You will find such as Smallpdf, iLovePDF, etc.

Follow these small steps to do it:

  1. Start by uploading the locked PDF.
  2. Click the Unlock PDF and wait for processing.
  3. Download the unlocked file.

Drawbacks: Don’t upload your personal files to their servers because it has privacy risk. It may not work for strong encryption, though.

In such situations, PDF users search for a smart solution to break PDF passwords in Windows or Mac OS X. So in the below section, we have explained, a simple solution to break password from PDF file in a short time.

How to Break PDF Password Using The Professional Utility (Mac & Win)?

Best PDF Password Remover to remove encryption from PDF. Using this utility, you can easily unlock and edit password-protected PDF files. This tool also removes all types of restrictions from PDF files. One of the best things about this tool is it maintains the quality and originality of PDF files after unlocking the PDF file.

Why Choose the Above Tool to Break PDF Password?

  • Supports Unlocking PDF files from both Owner & User Level Password Security.
  • Remove all types of restrictions: Printing/Editing/Copying/Signing.
  • Easily remove Document Assembly Restrictions.
  • Facility to remove Comment Restrictions from PDF file.
  • Compatible with all Windows versions and supports 32 or 64-bit OS and supports Mac OS X 10.8 & above versions.

Read More: Convert Non Copyable PDF to Copyable PDF Using Quick Solutions

How to Break PDF Password on Win & Mac – Simple Steps

Step 1. Download and run this tool to remove encryption from PDF.

How to Break PDF Password
Step 2. Click on Add File(s) or Add Folder(s) for loading the locked PDF files.

select pdfNote: The software allows to unlock PDF files in batch mode. So you can add and unlock multiple files at once.

Step 3. Enter the password if the file is secured.

see permission statusStep 4. Choose the Destination Location to store the PDF file.

setting the path to save the file
Step 5. Now click on the Unlock button to remove encryption from PDF on Mac/Win OS.

unlocking PDF files
Step 6. Click on View Report to view the output file along with the Export Report.

How to Break PDF Password

Note: NO password is required to remove file restrictions from PDF. Only require user password to open the file if the given documents are protected with user-level security.

Some Frequently Asked Questions By the Users

Q. Is we can convert password-protected PDF file to MS Word?

A. For this you can use the above-mentioned tool to break the password from the PDF file. Once this process is done then, you can easily convert your PDF file to MS Word.

Q. How to break PDF password from corrupted PDF files?

A. This software only breaks the password from healthy PDF files.

Q. This software works with which versions of Windows OS?

A. This software works with all versions of Windows OS (32-bit & 64-bit).

Q. Does this software help to remove signing restrictions from Adobe PDF files?

A. Yes, this software is capable to remove the signing restriction from the Adobe PDF file

Also Read: How to Sign PDF that is Locked? Get the Solution Here!

Final Thought

In this write-up, we have explained the best solution to users’ most commonly asked questions on how to break PDF password (Mac & Win). Whether you are a Windows or a Mac OS user, by following the above-explained guideline steps, you can easily remove encryption from PDF on both Mac and Windows OS efficiently. Just follow these methods carefully as its related to your data password.

  author

By Nilesh Kumar

As a Chief Technical Writer, I know the technical issues faced by home and professional users. So, I decided to share all my knowledge via this blog. I love to help you with challenges while dealing with technical jargon.