Forgot PDF Password? 5 Ways to Unlock without Software

Are you locked out of PDF right now, and desperately seeking a free and quick fix to open your file, or remove the password, even recover the forgotten password? Relax. This post explained 5 legitimate and safe methods to unlock forgotten PDF password without software, by using online and free tools. If these software-free methods don’t work, reputable offline PDF password recovery software is your guaranteed solution.

Cisdem Password Remover

Quickly Remove Forgotten PDF Password

• Remove owner/permission password instantly
• Remove user/open password no matter how complicated it is
• Employ sophisticated algorithms to crack passwords at ultra speed
• Unlock multiple PDF files simultaneously
• Preserve 100% original quality of PDF content
• Extremely simple and user-friendly interface

Free Download macOS 10.13 or later Free Download Windows 10 or later

Which Type of PDF Password You Forgot?

There are 2 types of PDF passwords used to protect your PDFs:

User Password (Open Password): Protect PDF file from opening.

Owner Password (Permission Password): Protect PDF file from making changes on editing, copying, printing, etc.

What to Do If You Forgot PDF Password?

First, you should figure out whether you can open and view the content of the PDF file.

If you are required to enter the password for opening a PDF file, then your only 100% success rate solution to crack unknown password is using Cisdem PDF Password Remover.

If you can open the PDF file, but are restricted to edit, copy or print, then all the methods listed below can help you effortlessly.

5 Ways to Unlock Forgotten PDF Password without Software --- Online & Free

When you forgot the PDF password, try these 5 free online methods that require NO software installation first. Note that these techniques are never used for highly sensitive and strongly encrypted documents.

#1. Google Chrome

Best for: permission-password protected PDF.

Google Chrome is listed first because it is a must-have browser on many users' devices. It has a built-in PDF viewer that sometimes ignores certain permission settings when printing. With this handy browser, you can easily get a new unprotected PDF without additional software. But the premise is that the file is not restricted from printing.

Steps to Remove Forgot PDF Password Without Software:

1. Open Google Chrome and drag & drop your locked PDF into the browser.
2. Then click the Print icon in the upper right corner.
3. In the Print dialog, select Save as PDF from Destination drop-down list.
4. Click Save button and choose a location to get a new unlocked PDF.

#2. Google Drive

Best for: permission-password protected PDF.

Google Drive is a cloud storage service owned by Google. It enables users to store, organize and edit files, as well as collaborate within teams. Besides, it has a set of practical office suits, including Google Docs, Slides and Sheets. All files created here will be automatically saved to Google Drive.

Remove Forgot PDF Password in Mobile or Desktop:

1. Access Google Drive with your personal account. Your stored PDFs will show in My Drive tab.
2. Right click on the owner password protected PDF, open it with Google Docs.
3. The PDF will be converted into Word, go to File > Download > PDF Document to save Word back to the unprotected PDF.

#3. Smallpdf

Best for: permission-password protected PDF.

Smallpdf is one of the most well-known PDF platforms that can edit, convert, compress, split, merge, protect and unlock PDF documents. When functioning its unlock PDF tool, it can unlock and remove owner password in one step. But it can only remove user password by entering the right password.

Unlock Forgotten PDF Password Online:

1. Open Smallpdf Unlock PDF tool.
2. Click on CHOOSE FILES or drag and drop to import your PDF file.
3. The program will automatically upload and unlock the protected PDF.
4. Click Download to save the unlocked PDF file.

#4. iLovePDF

Best for: simple permission-password and open-password protected PDF.

iLovePDF is also a versatile online platform that has a wealth of PDF tools. Its unlock PDF feature supports removing various permission passwords and cracking some short and simple open password. In addition, you can unlock two PDF files at a time to improve efficiency. The file size limit is 100 MB, which is enough for most of the files.

Remove the Forgotten PDF Password on Android/iOS/Windows/Mac:

1. Open iLovePDF Unlock PDF tool.
2. Click on Select PDF files to upload the protected PDF.
3. Click on Unlock PDF to remove the forgotten PDF password.

#5. LostMyPassPro

Best for: strong permission-password and open-password protected PDF.

LostMyPassPro is a dedicated PDF password remover based on web. It is capable of removing both permission password and open password. It is easy to remove permission password from your PDF using this tool, but you have to queue, if you want to skip the line, you have to pay $49.99. While for removing user password, the success rate depends on how strong/weak your password is, the weaker, the higher for the recovery rate; the stronger, the lower for the recovery rate, and you have to pay $34.99 to unlock the full document.

Here Is How to Recover Forgotten User Password:

1. Go to https://lostmypasspro.com/upload and add your PDF file by drag and drop. 
2. Enter your email address and click START RECOVERY.
3. For owner password protected file, wait in the queue or pay to skip the line;For user password protected file, pay to unlock the full document. 

Recover Forgotten PDF Password --- Offline & 100% Success Rate

When all the above “without software” methods fail, Cisdem PDF Password Remover is your guaranteed solution for removing forgotten PDF passwords. Whether it’s an owner password preventing editing or a user password blocking access, this powerful tool uses advanced decryption algorithms to unlock PDFs in seconds without damaging the original content.

It offers a reliable fix with a near-100% success rate, which is perfect for professionals, students, or anyone handling secured documents.

You can remove all kinds of PDF password with Cisdem PDF Password Remover, here’s how:

1. Download its trial version and launch it on your Mac or Windows.
   Free Download macOS 10.13 or later Free Download Windows 10 or later
2. Import PDF files to Cisdem PDF Password Remover by drag and drop.
3. Speed up decryption process of the forgotten password.
   If your file is only protected by the owner password, directly click Remove to remove PDF password.
   If your file is also protected by a user password, a lock icon will appear on the right side, click on the lock icon and choose Forgot? to decrypt the forgotten PDF password, you can fill in the following box to reduce the decryption time as much as possible.
4. Click Remove to create an equivalent PDF file without any password protection. 

​You can also follow this video step by step to unlock your PDF without knowing password.

Prevention: Avoid "Forgot PDF Password" Next Time

We know that you don’t want to be locked out of PDF anymore. So, let’s discuss some strategies to prevent the similar situation.

• Think twice before you lock a PDF. For non-sensitive documents, skipping the password entirely eliminates the risk of forgetting it. Save password protection for truly confidential files.
• Set a memorable password. If you really need to password protect a PDF, try to choose a password that you are familiar with, such as your favorite number followed by the initials of your name.
• Take notes for passwords. Once you set a password on a PDF document, write it down or store it in your password manager immediately, before you do anything else.

Conclusion

If we forgot the password of a PDF file, we can use tools to remove or recover the password. Remember to regularly back up your files together with password information, and consider using a password manager to manage your passwords.

For the sake of information safety and 100% success to unlocking the PDF, desktop programs such as Cisdem PDF Password Remover is highly recommended, because it does exactly what is said on the tin, removing password restrictions and cracking PDF in a safe and efficient way. And in our test, it can unlock PDF file passwords with 100% probability.