It used to be easy to remove a PDF password. Open the file in Preview, Export As PDF and you're done! Since upgrading to Monterey, "Export As PDF" is now greyed out when you have a PDF file open. Is there another way to remove a PDF Password using MacOS built-in tools? (I know I can do it with PDF Expert, but would like a method that works without 3rd party apps.)
MacBook Air (2020 or later)
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.
Can you confirm the PDF Expert allows you to remove the password if you do not have the document's Owner password, and just the View password? My workflow involved the old "Export as PDF" using the Preview app for PDF documents received in Mail, anything from a few daily to two dozen daily ... and I have been completely blocked out of this workflow since upgrading to Monterey ... in some 4 odd days I have 49 e-mails flagged Red, meaning that the PDFs they contain still need to be processed ... like you I am averse to going a third-party software route to do something that has worked for years without ... but if anyone can confirm that PDF Expert will do this WITHOUT the Owner password and with just the View password, then I would consider this as a solution. The other option, which is to print them and then scan the printed copies, doesn't appeal much to me ...
dhlala wrote:
Can you confirm the PDF Expert allows you to remove the password if you do not have the document's Owner password, and just the View password? My workflow involved the old "Export as PDF" using the Preview app for PDF documents received in Mail, anything from a few daily to two dozen daily ... and I have been completely blocked out of this workflow since upgrading to Monterey ... in some 4 odd days I have 49 e-mails flagged Red, meaning that the PDFs they contain still need to be processed ... like you I am averse to going a third-party software route to do something that has worked for years without ... but if anyone can confirm that PDF Expert will do this WITHOUT the Owner password and with just the View password, then I would consider this as a solution. The other option, which is to print them and then scan the printed copies, doesn't appeal much to me ...
I can confirm that PDF Expert allows me to do what I used to be able to do with Preview Export as PDF. I am not sure I know the difference between owner password and view password. But I have not seen a case in which PDF Expert did not allow me to remove a password on a restricted PDF for which I had the password to open the file.
I'm just trying to work and can't. Frustrated. I need to walk off the job. This is too much for an old lady. I'm not computer savvy and can't help but wonder why an upgrade can upset my entire day of work.
it worked for me too until I upgraded to Monterey. Now I can't export anything, can't save as pdf. And not only on preview, Chrome is acting wired too. I can't download PDF's for example.
Anyone with the same problem?
Did some tests. (Monterey fresh install on MacMini M1 and import data from Carbon Copy Cloner Backup). Preview works as other said and Chrome dowloads and saves PDfs with no problems.
Let's see first update.
Gijs Kijlstra wrote:
H so the cause of the problem seems to be Monterey.
It looks like Apple plugged a security hole instead of it being a bug.
What good is password protecting a PDF document if anyone can bypass the protection with a Print to PDF.
Old Toad wrote:
Gijs Kijlstra wrote:
H so the cause of the problem seems to be Monterey.
It looks like Apple plugged a security hole instead of it being a bug.
What good is password protecting a PDF document if anyone can bypass the protection with a Print to PDF.
Here's the use case -- I get a monthly invoice that is password protected. I like to save the files away but do not want to keep a database of passwords used to open these files. I have been given the password for this file so now I feel I have the right to read and save it unencrypted so that I can read it anytime I want. Five years from now I'll still have the file, but where will the password be? I think the utility had the intention of protecting the invoice from prying eyes on the internet but had no desire to protect the file once I saved it from my email. We're not talking government classified documents -- we're talking light weight privacy protection. So what is wrong in this case with me removing the password on an invoice sent to me by my electric utility? The Export as PDF feature did not work unless they had the password. I don't really see that as a security hole.
IMHO, the security password is useful or not depending on who is the destinee of the document. As you correctly said if the doc is just for you then a password is relatively important but let's say I wrote a course for my students (putting a lot of work and personal brainstorming inside) and I just want them to study on it and neither modify or printing it, then, it could be useful.
majortom1967 wrote:
IMHO, the security password is useful or not depending on who is the destinee of the document. As you correctly said if the doc is just for you then a password is relatively important but let's say I wrote a course for my students (putting a lot of work and personal brainstorming inside) and I just want them to study on it and neither modify or printing it, then, it could be useful.
That is a very good point. Protection has different purposes. So it may very well be that Apple decided to up the level of protection by closing what some could consider a security hole. If that's the case I think this change is here to stay. So from now on I will look to PDF Expert to remove the password from my protected PDFs.
There's an app that I use, PDF Expert, that will strip the password from the file. Unfortunately it's not inexpensive.
Can you ask the sender to use the same password for all of your future invoices?
Tell Apple what missing features you'd like restored or new features added to the system via Feedback - macOS - Apple.
Can you tell us how you created that password protected pdf? Using print to pdf with security settings? Did you add a password just for opening, or for printing and copying?
Or did you create it with Acrobat?
Luis:
For the record I created my protected PDF file by exporting and by Save As using the Permissions menu.
OT
UPDATE: just reran my tests and today I can't export or save without a password. This iMac must be haunted.
Old Toad wrote:
Luis:
For the record I created my protected PDF file by exporting and by Save As using the Permissions menu.
OT
UPDATE: just reran my tests and today I can't export or save without a password. This iMac must be haunted.
I did this and also using Print to PDF and setting the security restrictions. My results are the same as yours.
Why won't Apple just add that feature back in? Clearly it's more of a loss than a gain, with not having it. I used to just export as PDF and that would work every time. Now we have to add all of these extra steps to do the same job.
Same issues.
Was having issues combining 2 former protected files without much luck.
Somehow added blank page, and now can't delete it.
It was working exceptionally well before I installed stupid Monterey version.
Lately I really regret installing updates from Apple.
Are they going though horrible Windows phase?!?!?!
Removing a PDF Password in Monterey
