Hi. I have a password protected PDF and I have the password. I can open it on my Windows machine but can’t seem to open it on my Mac.
I think the issue is that there is a £ sign in the password. I’m using PDF Expert on the Mac and it just won’t accept the password (like I say I can open it on another machine).
Ultimately, I’m trying to remove the password from the PDF and save an unprotected version (all on MacOS). Any ideas?
If the file isn’t private consider a free online password protection remover, which you can upload to from your Windows machine. Lots to find on Google. Upload, and get back unprotected file.
There are at least two different ways that PDFs can be password protected, so don’t be super surprised if you have to try a couple of utilities.
I would be afraid that any online tool to do this keeps copies of any PDFs you upload. You’ll need to decide if that fear is reasonable or a concern, for you and your document.
Like I said, don’t do it if the material is private. But there are lots of sites that offer free brute-force password unlock, and password-removal. I’ve used them on files without personal data and never had a problem.
Have you tried opening it using Preview? If not, give it a try.
The reason I ask is we used to receive password protected PDFs from the bank at my previous employer. Our accounting department used Adobe software on Windows to open the files using the password.
One day, while troubleshooting a problem, I discovered Preview would open the files without a password. I checked dozens of previously received PDFs and was able to open all of them w/o a PW. The bank was notified, but AFAIK, they found no solution.
Have you tried qpdf? You can install it using Homebrew/MacPorts and run it via the Terminal. It is super easy to set up and use.
I’d give it a shot before using a web based utility given the privacy implications. This thread will be helpful if you are giving it a go. You can ignore the automation bit if that isn’t something you are looking to do but you can get a nifty workflow going if you add Hazel to the mix.
If you’re constantly doing it I thoroughly recommend spending the time to understand and setting up qpdf via home brew. I’ve myself going to the command line more and more and once an automation is set up you don’t have to do it manually again!
Update, nothing (Preview, Skim, PDF Expert) has opened the file to date, all report invalid password.
I can’t use an online password removal tool.
I have installed Adobe Acrobat Reader for MacOS and that will open it.
When looking at the Security Permissions in Adobe Reader it says “Can be opened by: Adobe Acrobat 5.0 and later”. Can you specify that a PDF can only be opened with an Adobe app when you create it?
I’ve tried Save As and Print to PDF from within Adobe Reader but these do not work.
Further update…installed brew and qpdf and that did the trick. Thanks @Ajay.
Still curious why various other PDF apps, including Preview, would not open the file and reported wrong password, whilst Adobe Acrobat Reader could do. 
I get these files once a month, but they are always password protected and the password will change occasionally. I’ve just (today) started playing around with KeyBoard Maestro. Is this something I could automate with this so that I don’t have to go into the terminal and remember or lookup the command to ‘decrypt’?
SecurePDF is just $1.99 from the app store. I’ve been using it for years and it is perfect for doing this kind of thing without any fuss.
I use hazel to execute a shell script so it’s completely transparent and as though there was never a password on the file to begin with. You could look into Manually executing a shell script via a service (right click on the file in finder and select your script) and I’m sure keyboard maestro could also execute a shell script too. Just depends on how you want to make it happen.