Protect 3 min read 158 words

Removing a PDF password when you do know the password

The legitimate version of "unlock PDF" — stripping the open password from a file you have full rights to.

protect unlock
The short answer

Every time you open the file you have to retype the password. The reader app forgets it after each session. After the 50th time, you take ten seconds and remove it.

Ready to try this yourself?

Open Add Password in a new tab and read the rest while you upload.

Open Add Password

Unlock tools have a sketchy reputation because the most common search query is "unlock PDF I forgot password". For PDFs you legitimately own and know the password to, removing the password is a one-step operation.

The flow

  • Open the Unlock PDF tool in Evixpdf.
  • Drop the file in. Enter the current password.
  • Click Unlock. Download the password-free PDF.

When you actually need this

Year-end statements where the bank's password is your DOB + the last 4 digits of your account number. You re-enter it every time you open the file in the accountant's app, every time you preview it in finder, every time you attach it to an email. After tax season, strip the password and file the clean copy.

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