Manipulate pdf file

August 6, 2009 7:03 PM

Possible to edit contents and remove password from pdf?

I have a pdf document that I reference often. The thing is, it requires me to input a password every time i wish to view it. Is there any way that I can remove the password while keeping everything else in tack? I would also like to making changes to the information found in the footer of the document. Any ideas?

posted by Mr_Thirdworld to technology (11 comments total)

When I have to do this, I print the document, scan it, edit as I need and then save over the PW-protected doc. I have never found a better solution than that 4-step, tree-wasting workaround.
posted by bunnycup at 7:07 PM on August 6

Printing to pdf in os x, or using a program like this, would be a quicker way to accomplish what bunnycup recommended.

This article outlines how to remove passwords form pdfs.
posted by zentrification at 7:20 PM on August 6

Do you have either the Standard or Professional version of Acrobat?

If so, you should be able to go to the Advanced menu, scroll down to Security and select Show Security Policies. From there, assuming the original author hasn't explicitly disallowed editing through a different password, you should be able to set the Security Method to No Security.
posted by JaredSeth at 7:42 PM on August 6

I remember reading about something you could do in OSX: Load the PDF file and then print it. In the print menu you chose to print to a PDF file instead of to a printer, and it would create a new PDF file that had no copy protection of any kind.

Does that still work?
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:06 PM on August 6

I ran into the same problem previously.
posted by WCityMike at 8:24 PM on August 6

There's a lot of ways to do it for free, but it's by far the easiest if you have access to Acrobat. You can turn off the password and go into text touch-up mode and have it fixed and updated in about two minutes.
posted by floam at 8:40 PM on August 6

zentrification, I think you made a mistake with the "this article" link.
posted by winston at 8:59 PM on August 6

Would this work?
posted by rumbles at 10:19 PM on August 6

oops, thanks winston

i intended to link this article
posted by zentrification at 11:15 PM on August 6

PDF password remover works like a charm if the original author has locked down the PDF ... but it does cost money.

Print and scan also works well ... adobe professional OCR is pretty good.

Have you tried opening it as a google doc file?
posted by jannw at 3:01 AM on August 7

Here is a free online utility to unlock PDFs:
http://www.ensode.net/pdf-crack.jsf
posted by tuxster at 7:29 AM on August 7