How to Unlock PDF for Editing in an Easy Steps?

author Written By Deep Sikha
author Approved By Sonika Rawat
Updated on 26th Sep 2024
Reading Time 9 minutes

A PDF (Portable Document Format) is an electronic replica of a printed document, used for viewing, navigating, and sharing data. Many formats are built only for read-only purposes. So, you might have faced cases when you need to make various edits and comments on the documents. However, to edit the PDF data, it has to be both read and write enabled. Therefore, here we describe different ways to unlock PDFs for editing. You can either try using Adobe Acrobat or go for a secure PDF Restriction Remover Tool.

Why Do Users Unlock PDF Files & Remove Restrictions?

The PDF format can also be edited if unlocked. The reason behind the locked PDF file is that nowadays confidential information needs to be secured. It could be through private or public keys, password locks, encryption, or secured frames. Also, limiting the access to data and authorizing who can and who cannot access the data. Similarly, the information in the PDF file tends to remain secure and cannot be edited without password removal or format change. Lock-on a PDF file increases the integrity of the contents. But why do users remove this restriction? Here is why:

  • Sometimes, users need to update or edit the PDF file. Editing or correcting locked PDFs is difficult.
  • One cannot print restricted PDF files, so it is important to remove its restriction.
  • When users need to extract content such as text and images, that can be used further in documents or presentations.
  • In a collaborative environment, multiple users need to work on the same documents. Thus, disabling restriction is important.
  • If users want to archive or backup PDF in other formats, the conversion wouldn’t be possible in locked PDF.

Methods to Unlock PDF for Editing and Conversion

There are a few prominent ways to unlock PDFs for free. Follow those as mentioned below:

Method 1: Using Paid Version of Adobe Acrobat

  1. Open Adobe Acrobat on your system.
  2. Next, open the PDF file to unlock.
  3. If the PDF has password protection, type the password.
  4. Next, go to File and click on Properties.
  5. Then, click on the Security tab.
  6. Select No Security, under the Security Method.
  7. Finally, save the changes done to remove PDF permissions.

Method 2: Use Online PDF Unlocker

You have another option to unlock PDF for editing- using the online PDF Unlocker Tool. However, for this, it is important to research and find an authentic and trustworthy website. The process could be broadly as defined below:

  1. Find an authentic website offering a PDF unlocking tool.
  2. Next, upload your PDF files to unlock.
  3. If prompted, enter the password used to protect the PDF.
  4. The tool will successfully unlock PDF. Save it.

Method 3: Use an Automated Tool to Remove PDF Restrictions

If you are looking for a secure and trustworthy method, prioritize using the SysInfo PDF Restriction Remover Tool. The tool is designed with the latest algorithms to remove all types of restrictions from PDFs efficiently. Moreover, you do not require Adobe Acrobat installation on your system to perform the process. It removes both the owner and user password.

Follow the steps below to remove password protection from PDF Documents:

  1. Run the PDF Restriction Remover Tool on your system.
  2. Click on Add files, choose restricted PDFs, and click Open.
  3. If the PDF is protected, enter the password to add to the tool. Click Next.
  4. Choose built-in options to unlock PDF and also edit metadata.
  5. At last, click on Convert to unlock all added PDF files.

Hence, this is one of the safest and most recommended tools to opt for when removing restrictions from PDF.

Conclusion

We have discussed the various ways to unlock PDF for editing. The methods include the manual solution as well as the automated tool. If the manual workaround doesn’t go with your expectation then you must go for the professional solution. Just follow the above procedure in detail. Hopefully, it will help you out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. How can I unlock a PDF for editing for free?

Ans. To unlock PDF files for free, use any free tool available online. However, it may cause security concerns for your data. Another free tool is using free PDF Restriction Remover by SysInfo, which saves PDFs with a watermark. Therefore, go for the premium version of this tool and remove restrictions without any limits.

Q1. How do I protect a PDF from editing without a password for free?

Ans. There is no such way that remove PDF password protection without needing passwords. Better you go for a secure tool such as SysInfo PDF Unlocker. It asks for passwords when you try to unlock PDF for editing.