"Secured" is a word that covers two very different things in PDF world, and the confusion between them is the source of a lot of frustration. Understanding the difference tells you immediately which unlock method applies to your situation — and whether you are legally entitled to remove the restriction at all.
Type 1: Open password (document password)
An open password prevents the PDF from being opened at all without entering the correct password. When you try to open the file, the reader immediately asks for a password before displaying any content.
When can you legally remove it? When you know the password and have the right to access the document. Removing an open password from a document you are authorised to access (your own files, a document sent to you with the password) is completely legal.
How to remove it:
- Open Filero's Unlock PDF tool.
- Upload the PDF and enter the password when prompted.
- Download the unlocked PDF — the password is removed permanently.
Type 2: Permissions password (restrictions password)
A permissions password does not prevent you from opening the PDF — you can read it fine. But it restricts what you can do with it: printing may be disabled, copying text may be blocked, or editing may be prevented. This is a separate password from the open password, set by whoever created the document.
When can you legally remove it? This is where the legal distinction matters. If you are the document's author or the rightful owner, removing the permissions restriction is fine. If the restriction was placed by someone else to protect their copyrighted content — a publisher, a software company, a government agency — removing it may violate the document creator's rights or terms of service.
Common legitimate cases where removing permissions restrictions is fine:
- You created the PDF yourself and forgot the permissions password
- A document was sent to you for editing but the sender accidentally locked it
- You are an employer unlocking an internal document for legitimate business use
- You need to print a personal document (bank statement, tax form) that was locked by default
How to remove permissions restrictions: Use Filero's Unlock PDF tool. If no open password is required, upload the PDF and the tool removes the permissions restrictions directly.
Type 3: DRM (Digital Rights Management)
Some PDFs — particularly e-books, academic papers from publishers, and licensed software documentation — use DRM systems like Adobe Digital Editions. These are fundamentally different from a simple PDF password. DRM systems tie the document to your account and device, and bypassing them is illegal under copyright law in most jurisdictions.
What to do: If you need access on a different device, use the DRM system's authorised method (e.g. authorise the new device in Adobe Digital Editions). If the DRM is preventing legitimate access you paid for, contact the publisher or the platform you purchased from.
How to tell which type of security your PDF has
- Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- Go to File → Properties → Security tab.
- The "Security Method" field shows what type of security is applied: Password Security (Type 1 or 2) or a third-party DRM system (Type 3).
- The "Document Restrictions Summary" shows exactly which permissions are restricted.
Frequently asked questions
I cannot copy text from a PDF — is it locked?
Possibly. Check the Document Properties Security tab in Acrobat Reader to confirm. If "Content Copying" is listed as Not Allowed, the PDF has a permissions restriction on copying. This can be removed with the Unlock PDF tool if you are legally entitled to do so.
Can I print a secured PDF?
If printing is restricted by a permissions password, Filero's Unlock PDF tool can remove this restriction for documents you are authorised to access.
Is it illegal to unlock a PDF?
Unlocking a PDF you have legitimate access to — your own files, documents sent to you — is not illegal. Bypassing DRM on copyrighted content to gain access you did not pay for, or distributing the unlocked content, can be illegal under copyright law. Use your judgement: if you own or are authorised to access the document, unlocking it for your own legitimate use is fine.
Ready to try it?
Use Filero's free Unlock PDF tool. No account needed, works on any device.
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