By Sophia | Last Updated
Cannot open password protected PDF file secured with powerful unknown password? Whether you have found any effective methods? If not, two ways introduced in this article are available for PDF users to open encrypted PDF file without password.
--decrypt is one basic option provided by QPDF for PDF to remove encryption on PDF file. So if you want to open encrypted PDF files without password, command prompt surely works. You can remove password protection from PDF file with cmd, and then open password protected PDF file. The only requirement is you have PDF file open password. If not, please get PDF password recovery tool to find PDF open password in way 2.
Preparations: QPDF, MacPorts, Homebrew
Step 1: Install MacPorts if you haven't already installed it.
Step 2: Install QPDF on your system by typing the following in Terminal.
sudo port install qpdf or brew install qpdf
Step 3: Once QPDF is installed, use it to decrypt the file by typing the following in Terminal.
qpdf --decrypt --password==xxxx encrypted-filename.pdf decrypted-filename.pdf
For example, if your PDF password is 1234, and it is called "encryption", and you want to save it as "decryption" after removing password, just type following command and press Enter.
qpdf --decrypt --password==1234 encryption.pdf decryption.pdf
Step 4: Open decrypted-filename.pdf in Preview to verify if it worked.
With cmd above, you could open password protected PDF file without password from now on. However, how can you successfully open encrypted PDF file, when you are not sure or don't know PDF file password?
If you have no ideas or want to easier open PDF file without password, continue and follow the article below to recover encrypted PDF file password first, and open password protected PDF file with Adobe.
As is known, lots of PDF password recovery tools can recover or remove password protected PDF file password. So you can do the same with PDF password recovery software like other people. At this moment, PDF Password Genius is recommended usually, because it can effectively recover PDF forgotten or lost open password quickly.
Step 1: Download, install and execute iSunshare PDF Password Genius on computer.
Step 2: With Open button on toolbar, you can browse and find password protected PDF document in your computer, and click "Open" button again in Open window to add PDF file into Encrypted File box.
Step 3: Scan password recovery type in Type of attack drop-down list, and choose one appropriate.
In order to make PDF password recovery fast, you need to select one select one password attack type appropriate according to PDF password feature and how many characters you know. Then follow Brute-force/Mask/Dictionary password attack type settings to make detailed settings.
Step 4: Click Start button on toolbar to recover password protected PDF file password.
Step 5: PDF open password pops up few seconds or minutes later. Click Copy button on pop-up dialog to get recovered password and click Open button to prepare opening encrypted PDF file.
In PDF viewer window, paste open password in Password dialog and press Enter to successfully open password protected PDF file.
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