These days there are number of platforms which come with the passwords to enhance the security. A human brain is not capable to remember all the passwords. And this could also happen with the PDF passwords. PDF is most popular file format used by people to make their content confidential and secured. And to enhance the security people impose passwords on them. But in case they forget pdf password then it would be difficult for them to open password protected PDF files. In this article we will discuss all the solutions which can help you to learn how to open password protected PDF file in case you forgot the password.

There are numerous methods which you can use to open password protected PDF files if you forgot their passwords. The following are the list of the solutions.

Method 1. Open Password Protected PDF via Adobe Acrobat Pro DC

Adobe Acrobat Pro DC is one of the software which is capable to open secured PDF files without passwords. Obviously you can do it with the paid version of the tool so it will be costly for you, if you lost or forget your password. The following are steps to use this tool.

  • 01 Launch the program after download and configuration. launch adobe acrobat pro dc
  • 02 Open the PDF file which you want to access.
  • 03 Go to the Secured Padlock icon and then click on the Security settings.
  • 04 Choose No security Option from the below given list. choose no security option

After the completion of the process you will easily access the PDF file without password. The only drawback of this tool is that it is expensive and only works with the Windows Operating system and can crack the password of PDF files which supports or created in Adobe Acrobat reader.

Method 2. Open PDF without Password by Using PassFab for PDF

PassFab for PDF is one of the standard tools to unlock the passwords of the PDF files. The tool is easily available on the official website of the PassFab and is available for Windows as well as Mac. So you don't need to worry about the compatibility if you are using PassFab. The tool provides accurate results all the time and use advance technology to open the PDF files when forgot password. Let's discuss the guide to use the tool for learning how to open PDF without password.

Step 1: Launch the PassFab for PDF. It will take you to a screen like this.

pdf password recovery

Step 2: Click on "Add" to upload your desired file from your computer. Then click "Open" to open the file successfully.

import pdf file

Step 3: Once the file you have selected will be uploaded. You need to customize or select the settings according to your need.

There are 3 types of PDF password attack that you can use for decryption. One is dictionary attack, one is Brute Force with Mask Attack, and the last is the Brute Force Attack. You can customize the settings of Dictionary Attack and Brute Force with Mask Attack

  • Dictionary Attack: The default mode is the Dictionary Attack. If you are sure that the password of the target PDF is your own frequently used then try to type it in a .txt file and then, insert it into the software. It will find the right one quickly.
  • Brute Force with Mask Attack: It works when you are able to remember any clue about the PDF password such as characters, length, or even numbers. You can customize the settings of Brute Force with Mask by inputting the password length, character set, or affix set.
  • Brute Force Attack: It is the last attack mode that might help you to get back the PDF password when you have no clue about the password. It will take more time to find the password. In these settings, it will try all possible ways to find the right combination.
choose attack type

Step 5: After selecting the right settings, click on "Start" for initiating the process.

start recovery process

Step 6: Your password will be shown on the box. You can "Copy" it to use it for decrypting the file.

copy password

Here is the video tutorial about how to open password-protected PDF file:

Method 3. Open Secured PDF with Chrome Browser

Google Chrome can also help you to open secured PDF files if you forget their password. Google chrome does not provide any kind of facility to open password protected PDF files but people use some hacks which most of the time works to open the PDF files with the help of Google Chrome. To do so firstly you need to save your password protected PDF file in the Google drive. The follow the below stated steps to learn how to open password protected PDF.

  • 01 Drag and Drop the file in the Google chrome to open the file.
  • 02 Try to enter the password and hit the ok button.
  • 03 Now open the in cognitive tab and  click on the print menu.
  • 04 Further on the left pane, press Change button available under destination option.
  • 05 Choose save as PDF and select the new destination to save the file.

At the end of this process may be you will easily access the PDF file because chrome will save your file from the scratch and without password. This method does not assure accuracy. Sometimes the data available in the file got damages. So, if you also face something like that then you can use other alternatives as well.

Method 4. Try to Remind Your Forgotten PDF Password

If you forgot the password of the PDF file which contains some crucial information then you should try to remember the passwords. There are many common patterns which a human being use while in the form of the passwords. So, as your patterns are may be your password for the specific PDF file. You need to hit and try all the passwords you think you can use as the passwords. The following are some common patterns which people usually use as their passwords you can also try them in the hit and try process.

  • Your Date of birth
  • Your Name and Date of birth.
  • Your mobile number
  • Your loved one's mobile number
  • Your nick name
  • Address of your house or office.
  • You pet name and his birth date
  • Favourite food
  • Favourite teacher

There are many more combinations you can try to fix this issue. You can also try your basic password combinations if they don't match with the above list. And if still it does not work with you then consider other methods to solve the issue.

Conclusion

Passwords are important to protect the crucial data or information from intruders. This is the reason why it is always advised to keep strong and unique passwords to protect files and accounts. But sometimes when we forget PDF file password, we feel like there is no solution to crack them it. But this is not the truth. All the above-stated solutions will help you, if you get stuck in this type of problem. PassFab for PDF is one of the most amazing tools to open password protected PDF files in case you forget their password.