How to Unlock PDF File
To protect their work, the creators of some PDF documents will often put security settings on their PDF files. While they are allowed to be circulated, viewed, and often printed, these documents may not be edited or altered.
These creators, often professional or corporate, will choose which changes they will allow. These options or restrictions include printing, commenting, extraction, content copying, signing, filling in fields, and document assembly.
You may for example, be allowed to print or sign the document, but not allowed to extract any of its pages. Adobe Acrobat offers tools to view security properties selected by the original creators or publishers.
To change the settings and unlock protected PDF files, you must have the file’s password. This may often be provided by the creator, or perhaps a colleague, a client or a supervisor.
To access the security properties of the protected PDF file:
Select the Secure tab from the toolbar and click on Show Security Properties.
View the entries below Documents Restrictions Summary. You will notice that some are Allowed while others are Not Allowed.
- If provided with a password, you can make changes to these settings and unlock protected PDF files. To make these changes:
- Choose Remove Security from the Secure tab menu.
- A new window will pop up informing you of the restrictions and asking that you enter a password. Once entered, you will then be asked to confirm. Click on OK.
Once you enter the password, the settings will change and the permissions will appear as Allowed.
