Remove PDF write protection - how it works
Related Videos: How to Fix The disk is write-protected. Remove the write-protection or use another disk Windows 10 (May 2024).
Write protection can protect a PDF file from unwanted changes. To make changes afterwards, you can remove PDF protection using one of the following tools.
Remove PDF write protection after entering the password
If you still remember the PDF password but want to disable it for the future, the free PDFill PDF Tools will help you.
- Install the software and start PDFill Tools.
- After clicking on "3. Encrypt and Decrypt Options", an Explorer window opens in which you select the PDF whose write protection is to be removed.
- Now enter the password and save the PDF without write protection by clicking >> Decrypt AS ... <<
Remove PDF write protection if you forget your password
You can also remove the PDF write protection if you no longer remember the password. There are a number of tools that you can try out one after the other:
- With the PDFill PDF Tools recommended above, a virtual printer for creating PDFs is automatically installed. Some protected PDF files can be converted into a new, unprotected PDF.
- If the PDF cannot be printed, not even virtually, you can unlock the print function with the help of another practical tip.
- The online PDF converter will automatically try to unlock your PDF file. You can then save the unlocked file again.
- With the GSview tool you can convert the protected PDF file into an unprotected one. To do this, open the PDF with GSview and save the document with >> File <> Convert << at any location without write protection. Unfortunately, this method does not work with all types of PDF protection.
- The freeware PDF unlocker tries the brute force method, which means it tries all possible strings as a password. Unfortunately, this is not always successful.
- Freeware PDFCrack is a bit more intelligent, but less easy to use. You can also enter a list of strings here, for example if you use some passwords more often or if you remember the password roughly. The list is processed, followed by a brute force attack.
- With a little patience, the paid software Advanced PDF Password Recovery will lead you safely to your destination. The demo variant cracks all passwords with up to four characters, the full version also copes with longer passwords.
If the read-only PDF file is pure font, you may find it helpful to print the file and scan it again using FreeOCR font recognition. A screenshot and graphics program such as Paint.NET may help with other content.