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How to Remove Restrictions from PDF Files – Easy Guide

Remove Restrictions from PDF Files
Nilesh Kumar ~ Modified: August 31st, 2023 ~ PDF ~ 7 Minutes Reading

A PDF file has two kinds of restrictions: Owner level and user level. The Owner-level restriction prevents others from making changes to the document whether it is editing, copying, extracting, printing, etc. The user-level restriction restricts access to the document i.e., a user cannot open the PDF file without password. If you want to remove restrictions from PDF files, you can do it easily with the help of this article.

Here, we will talk about the best methods to remove PDF restrictions whether it is owner-level or user-level restrictions. But before we start, let’s take a look at the brief introduction to restrictions and their types.

Understand PDF Restrictions Forms

PDF restrictions come in various forms, such as:

  1. Password Protection – Password protection is one of the most common PDF restrictions. It prevents unauthorized access to the document without the correct password.
  2. Printing Restrictions – Printing restrictions limit your ability to print a PDF file. So, if you need a hard copy of an important document, you will need to make that PDF printable first.
  3. Copying Restrictions – Copying restrictions prevent you from selecting and copying text or images from the PDF. Making a PDF non-copyable can hinder your ability to quote or reuse content.
  4. Editing Restrictions – Editing restrictions lock down the ability to make changes to the PDF’s content. It can be problematic if you need to edit secured PDF files to update information. F

Now we’ll explore methods to remove these restrictions from PDF files present as work documents, educational materials, or legal forms.

Methods to Remove Restrictions from PDF Files

Now that you understand the types of PDF restrictions, let’s delve into the methods to remove them.

#1 PDF Restrictions Remover:

Software like PDF Unlocker is a great option for removing restrictions from a PDF file. It is a user-friendly application that is compatible with all Windows operating systems. Users can download this software and remove both owner-level and user-level restrictions from PDF files. This tool supports batch processing of multiple PDF files and works without any hassle.

#2 Using Online Tools:

Online tools provide a quick and user-friendly way to remove PDF restrictions. They’re suitable for most users who only want to process 1-5 PDF documents.

#3 Official PDF Software:

Software like Adobe Acrobat offers advanced features for removing all PDF restrictions. We’ll guide you through the process step by step.

#4 Python Scripts for Tech-Savvy Users:

If you’re tech-savvy and have programming skills, Python scripts can provide a powerful way to remove restrictions programmatically.

We will explain these methods in detail in the following segment.

Step-by-Step Guide: Removing PDF Restrictions

In this section, we’ll provide detailed, user-friendly guides for each method mentioned above. Whether you choose an online tool, offline software, or programming script, you’ll find clear instructions to assist you.

Part 1: PDF Restrictions Remover

  • Run PDF Restrictions Remover on your computer.
    run pdf restriction remover
  • Click on “Add File” to import multiple PDF files at once.
    add pdf files
  • Enter password if the file has document open restriction.
    document has open restrictions
  • Otherwise, leave it empty and click on Unlock button.
    click unlock
  • Thats it! You have removed PDF restrictions from all files.
    process is successful

Part 2: Using Online Tools

One of the simplest ways to remove restrictions from a PDF is by using online tools like Smallpdf, ILovePDF, and PDF2Go. These tools are handy for most users and don’t require any software installation.

Here are the steps:

  1. Choose an online tool and open its website.
  2. Click on the tool’s upload button and select the PDF file that you want to remove restrictions from. There will be clear on-screen instructions present to guide you through this process.
  3. Once the PDF is uploaded, look for an option like “Unlock” or “Remove Restrictions.” Click on it, and the tool will work its magic to eliminate the restrictions from your PDF.
  4. After the tool has finished processing your file, you’ll be able to download the unrestricted PDF. Save it to your computer, and you’re done!

Keep in mind that different online tools may be required to remove different types of restrictions. For example, one can remove only owner-level restrictions from PDF while other can eliminate user restrictions from PDF.

Part 3: Remove Restrictions From PDF with Adobe Acrobat

If you regularly work with PDFs and have premium PDF software like Adobe Acrobat, you can also use it as a solid solution.

Here are the steps to remove PDF restrictions using Adobe Acrobat Pro:

  • Launch Adobe Acrobat and open the PDF file with the restrictions you want to remove.
  • In Adobe Acrobat, you will see the ‘Protect’ option in the Tools menu. Click to get a menu of security-related options.
    click Tools then Protect
  • Select Encrypt, and select the ‘Remove Security’ option. If there is one, you will be prompted to enter a PDF password.
  • After removing the protection, save the PDF. Now the file has no restrictions and is ready to use.

Part 3: Python Script for Tech-Savvy Users

For those comfortable with programming, Python can provide a powerful way to remove PDF restrictions programmatically.

Here’s how it’s done.

  1. Install Python on your computer if you haven’t already. You can download it from the official Python website.
  2. Python has a library called PyPDF2 that is useful for working with PDF files. Import this library into your Python script.
  3. To open the restricted PDF, decrypt it with the password provided (if any), and create a new PDF with no restrictions.
  4. Run your Python script, and it will generate unlimited PDF files.
  5. Save the newly created PDF, with no current limits.

Please note that this method requires programming skills in order to write a program and some patience to work with it.

Conclusion

In this guide, users can use the given methods to easily remove restrictions from PDF files. This allows you to work with them as needed. Choose the method that suits your expertise and needs best. We recommend using the PDF restrictions remover software to get the job done. It is offline, fast, easy to use, and maintains the privacy of processed PDF documents.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here, we’ll address common questions users might have.

Q1. What are the legal aspects of removing PDF restrictions?

The legal implications are as follows:

  1. Ensure that you are removing restrictions when you are the owner of the document, or have permission from the owner.
  2. Make sure you adhere to the copyright issues of the document. Even after you remove the restriction, you are still responsible for the copyright issues.
  3. Removing all PDF restrictions from someone else’s document without permission is illegal.
  4. Get familiar with the terms of use of the PDF document, if any.

Q2. What to do if you’ve forgotten a PDF password?

It depends on the type of password you’ve forgotten. If it’s a owner password then you can use the methods present above to remove restrictions from PDF file. But if its a user password then you need to contact the owner of the PDF file and ask him the password. You can also use some Password recovery software to try and recover the password.

Q3. How to process multiple PDFs simultaneously?

It depends on the method that you want to use. For example, if you want to use the first method then you can do the following:

  1. Start the tool.
  2. Click on the Add Files button.
  3. Select all the PDF files while pressing Shift or Ctrl keys.
  4. Click Open to add the PDF files to the software menu.
  5. Then, you can go ahead and remove restrictions from all the PDF files at once.