PDF passwords explained: open passwords and permission passwords
Updated · 3 min read
PDFs can have two different passwords that do very different jobs. One stops anyone without it from opening the file. The other only asks viewers not to let you print, copy or edit. Knowing which one you're dealing with explains most password puzzles — and what you can do about them.
The two kinds of PDF password
| Open password | Permissions password | |
|---|---|---|
| Also called | User password, document open password | Owner password, permissions password |
| Asked for when you open the file? | Yes | No — the file opens normally |
| What it does | Encrypts the contents; without it the file can't be read | Sets restrictions such as no printing, no copying text, no editing |
| Typical examples | Payslips, medical letters, documents sent by email | Bank statements, tickets, published reports |
Open passwords: real protection
An open password encrypts the file. Without the password the contents are unreadable data, so this is the one that genuinely protects a document if it's sent to the wrong person or a laptop is lost. Modern PDFs use AES encryption; the weak point is almost always the password itself, not the encryption.
- Use a long passphrase — several unrelated words — rather than a short word with a number on the end.
- Send the password separately from the file: if the PDF goes by email, share the password by text message or phone.
- Keep the password somewhere safe. If it's lost, there is no way to recover the contents — that's the point of encryption.
Permissions passwords: a polite request
A permissions password doesn't stop the file from opening. Every viewer can read the pages; the password only records which actions the author wants to allow, and well-behaved software greys out printing, copying or editing to respect that.
That's why a bank statement may open without asking for anything but refuse to print. It also means restrictions are not a security measure: anyone who can open the file can use software that ignores them. If a document must stay confidential, it needs an open password.
Tip: If a PDF opens without asking for a password but printing or copying is greyed out, it only has a permissions password.
How to remove a password you know
Typing the password every time is a nuisance for files you keep for yourself — your own payslips, for example. Unlock PDF saves a copy without the password:
- Add the PDF to Unlock PDF.
- If it asks for a password when you open it, type that password. If it opens without one and only has restrictions, leave the password field empty.
- Click Unlock and download the unprotected copy.
Unlock removes protection you're entitled to remove. It doesn't guess or crack passwords: if a file needs an open password and you don't have it, the tool can't open it either. Only remove protection from documents you own or have permission to change.
How to add a password
Protect PDF adds an open password and lets you decide whether people who open the file may print it or copy text from it. Editing and reassembling pages are always switched off, while filling in form fields stays allowed.
The permissions password is generated at random and never shown, so the restrictions can't be lifted with the open password you share. As explained above, though, restrictions are honoured by viewers rather than enforced by encryption — the open password is what keeps the file private.
Protect PDF works in your browser, so your password and file stay on your device.
Which one do you need?
- Sending something confidential — add an open password and share it separately.
- Publishing something you don't want edited — restrictions signal your intent, but anyone determined can get around them. A flattened PDF is harder to edit casually: see signing and flattening.
- Keeping your own files — remove the password from copies stored somewhere already secure, so search and previews work.
Questions
Why can't I print a PDF that opened without a password?
It has a permissions password that disallows printing. The file isn't encrypted against reading; the restriction is a setting your viewer respects.
Can you recover a forgotten PDF password?
No. Without the open password the contents can't be decrypted. Ask the sender for a new copy or the password.
Does removing the password change the document?
The pages are copied unchanged into a new, unencrypted PDF. Document-level extras such as bookmarks aren't carried over.