Removing a PDF Password in Monterey

I just ran another test with Preview Version 11.0 (1033.2) on a PDF file that I protected with a password:

1 - doing a File ➙ Export without a password assigned gave me a password protected file with the same original password.

2 - doing a straight Print ➙ Save as PDF gave me a password free PDF file.

Note: I'm running the latest beta Monterey. Why it didn't do the same 2 days ago when I first did my test (same versions) and the shortcut I don't know.

Tim - it just works wrote:

Try File menu, Export then add an owner password of your own then save. This seems to remove / overwrite previous permissions.

Yay, Tim! But I can't mark your answer as being helpful. It is greyed out! Do you have a workaround for that? 😀

I started writing a response about your workaround not working. Then I re-read your post and realised that I had misread what you wrote. I tried again, and everything works. Thanks so much for posting.

print as PDF seems to works in all browsers. tested Safari, Chrome, Firefox. And password is gone. I don't understand why it is removed from preview app.

Another experiment: open a PDF with a password set for opening, and another password set for printing.

When printing, I got a dialog requesting the "owner" password. Once I typed it, I could Save to PDF.

Again, the resulting file did NOT have a password.

I had the same issue as "Export as PDF" is greyed out and printing, save as PDF was also not available. I called apple support and got the following solution.

1) Open the password protected PDF in Preview

2) Enter Password

3) Click File - Edit Permissions

4) Clear all fields and ticks apart from the owner password at the bottom (see image), then click apply.

5) Press Command S to save the document. At this point the lock should be removed from the PDF (will be visible if it is on your desktop).

6) Quit Preview.

7) Re-open unlocked PDF. Should now be able to reopen the PDF without a password.

I'm using Monterrey and noticed that "export as PDF" is grayed out. But I was successful in just selecting "export" (which appears just above the grayed out choice) and the choice is there to use the PDF format and if you save, the password protection is removed. If you want to keep both the password protected version and the unprotected version you need to change the document name.

Hope this works. I needed it and that's what brought me to this discussion!

Not my experience.

I opened a password protected PDF in Preview, did Print, Save as PDF... the resulting file did NOT come with a password.

Open the pdf using the safari application (click on open with-Safari). Now click the print button. The save as pdf will be enabled.

Open the locked-PDF File -> File -> Export -> Click Permissions -> Tick everything and input Owner Password -> Save

This worked for me..

I was able to break the password by adding an "Owner Password" when exporting the document (which wasn't asked for again in the unlocked duplicate). My only guess as to what's happening to remove the password is that by adding the "Owner Password" I'm changing the ownership of the document. Please see below for the steps I took:

1. Open the "Locked" PDF
2. Enter the PDF Password
3. File => Export
4. Click "Permissions"
5. Enter and re-enter an "Owner Password"
6. Save

I hope this helps a few people out!

The easiest way I have found now is to print as a PDF. This removes the password protection

lp1756 wrote:

Maybe something to do with the protections on the original PDF?

Possibly. All I did was save some PDFs with a password to create them.

But to be clear when you do save a password protected file with the Save as PDF on the print dialog, it no longer requires a password to open?

Correct.