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I have a PDF on my local hard drive that is encrypted with a password. I have the password. It really doesn't need to be encrypted, and thus I'd like to unencrypt it. This would mean that opening it in the future on this machine or any other wouldn't require a password.

It must:

  • Be able to open the encrypted PDF
  • Allow me to supply the password used to encrypt the PDF
  • Use the password to decrypt the PDF
  • Allow me to save the PDF in an unencrypted form
  • Be native, not web based

Bonus points for

  • Being free
  • Not storing the password anywhere

I'm on OS X 10.9.1.

Improve this question
7
  • Are you trying to obtain the User Password or the Owner Password? There are two different types of security protection passwords that individuals are going to encounter when dealing with a PDF. The user password is just an unlock password. An individual needs this password in order to open and view the PDF file. The owner password is a permissions password that an individual needs in order to do anything other than open the file. This means if a person wants to modify the file or print the file – they need this permissions password to do so.
    – Franck Dernoncourt
    Mar 17, 2014 at 21:12
  • Why do you want to avoid web based options?
    – Michael Kohne
    Mar 18, 2014 at 1:30
  • Primarily because I want to avoid entering someone else's password (it's a dumb password, but nonetheless) into a website, @Michael.
    – Undo
    Mar 18, 2014 at 3:21
  • @Undo Do you want to remove the password, So that in future it doesnt ask for password on any machine ?
    – Kedarnath
    Mar 18, 2014 at 10:44
  • Yes, @Kedarnath.
    – Undo
    Mar 18, 2014 at 13:43

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
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You can use the built-in Preview app -

  • Open the PDF
  • Supply the password
  • Print the document
  • In the PRINT dialog, save to PDF using the button on the bottom left
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  • Aha! I don't know how I missed this - I've used Preview, and I've used print to PDF, but never together. Thanks!
    – Undo
    Mar 18, 2014 at 20:33
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This software Dysprosium series R6 can remove passwords from PDF documents on the condition that you have owner password.

  • It is a portable JAR software.
  • You need to have Java Runtime Environment (JRE) on your machine.
  • It is free.
  • This is a JAR file. Hence, independent of platform; needs only JRE to be able to work on the machine.

Open software and click on signature button. Brows to your file and open it.

Enter the password in the user password field. I suppose having owner password is enough.

click on "Remove Password." The result will come in the directory with its name changed to something_si.pdf

enter image description here

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  • Does it run on OS X? I would assume so, since it's a jar, but just checking.
    – Undo
    Mar 18, 2014 at 20:17
  • Having Java, should work
    – Any Body
    Mar 18, 2014 at 20:31
  • I tested. It needs both owner and user passwords
    – Any Body
    Mar 18, 2014 at 20:46

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