Sometimes the author of a PDF file adds a password to the document to lock it. This can be particularly frustrating when you want to print a password-protected PDF. In this case, to open the file, you’ll either have to enter the password or use a PDF unlocking tool.
There may be any number of reasons why you need to print a locked PDF. For example, maybe it’s your document and you've forgotten the password, or perhaps it’s someone else’s. Perhaps it’s to share with your colleagues at work or even to distribute in your class at school.
No matter, if you want to print a protected document but sadly don't have the password, following the usual steps to print it won’t work. Instead, in this article, we'll learn some of the effective ways of printing secure PDFs. Keep reading to learn more!
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How To Print Password-Protected PDFs
Although you can find different methods for printing password-protected PDFs, online tools allow you to carry out this activity fastest. The best thing is you can access an online tool from any device.
To print a protected PDF, first, you'll need to unlock it. Here's how you can unlock a protected PDF file using our "Unlock PDF" tool:
- Go to https://www.formatpdf.com/en/unlock-pdf/
- Click the "Select PDF files" button and select the file you want to unlock. Or you can drag your file onto "Or drag and drop the PDF here."
- On the next screen, click on the "Unlock" button and wait for a few seconds.
Once your password-protected file is unlocked, it's ready for printing. To do this, you can use our "Print PDF" online tool. The steps are as follows:
- Go to https://www.formatpdf.com/en/print-pdf/
- Click on the "Select PDF file" button, or drag the unlocked PDF directly to the box that says "Or drag and drop the PDF here."
- Click on the "Print" button.
What You Need To Know About Printing Password-Protected PDFs
These are a few things that you need to take into account while printing a password-protected PDF file:
- Your files are 100% safe and secure when you use the FormatPDF.com platform. In fact, all the files that you upload remain private, and no third party will be able to access them.
- Both the tools mentioned above are free to use. And the best part is your final file won't have any watermarks (unless you want to add one!)
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- Some PDFs are highly encrypted and can't be unlocked easily. In such a case, you'll need the correct password to open them.
- You can print password-protected PDFs of all styles, whether they have text, images, or both.
- How long it takes to unlock a file depends on the type of encryption and the difficulty level. For instance, if a file is highly encrypted and includes a complex password, it'll take more time to unlock it.
- Before printing a locked file, make sure your document contains everything that you want it to. If it doesn't, remember that you can edit the PDF to your liking.
Which Programs Allow You To Print Password-Protected PDFs
Using an online tool to print locked PDFs is always a good option. However, sometimes you might be in a situation where you prefer to use other programs to carry out this action. In this section, we'll talk about device-specific software that you can use to print a password-protected PDF document, whether you’re using a computer, tablet or mobile.
Unlock A Password-Protected PDF On A PC
While online tools are best for printing password-protected PDFs, there are alternative ways of doing it. As follows, here’s an easy guide on how to print password-protected PDFs on different operating systems (Mac, Windows, and Linux).
Windows 10 And Prior Versions Of Windows
If you're using a Windows computer to carry out this action, the best option is to use Adobe Acrobat, so long as you're ready to pay a subscription fee.
You can use Acrobat to first unlock your protected document. Then, you can print it by simply opening the file in any file viewer and clicking on the printer icon (or navigate to "File" and tap on "Print").
Mac
Apart from Adobe Acrobat, there’s another good alternative for Mac users called Google Drive, where you can store your files in the cloud and create documents and share them with others. Google Drive can be used to unlock a password-protected file. Then, after opening it, you can use the Preview program (Mac's native PDF application) to print that document.
Linux
For users who use Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, the best method to print a locked PDF file is to use our online tool. After all, online tools guarantee that they'll work for you, as the only things you'll need are an internet connection and a web browser, and you're good to go.
Open A Password-Protected PDF On A Smartphone Or Tablet
Sometimes, people might send you a password-protected document on your smartphone or tablet. In such a situation, don't worry, because you can easily open these files on your mobile devices.
Android
To perform this task on your Android phone, you'll first need to unlock the PDF. You can do so by using the Android version of Adobe Acrobat that you can install from the Google Play Store.
Once you've unlocked your file, it's time to print it. If you've got a printer connected to your phone, simply print the document by opening it, taping the options icon, and clicking on "Print."
iPhone (iOS) Or iPad
Like for Android, Adobe Acrobat and Google Drive are available for iPhone (iOS) or iPad. You can install any of them to unlock protected PDFs. Once done, open your file, click on the share icon, and from the available options, click on "Print."
Once you've unlocked your file, it's time to print the same. If you've got a printer connected to your phone, you can print the document by opening it, taping the options icon, and clicking on "Print."
iPhone (iOS) Or iPad
Like Android, Adobe Acrobat and Google Drive are available for iPhone (iOS) or iPad. You can install any of them to carry out the action of unlocking protected PDF files. Once done, open your file, click on the share icon, and from the available options, click on "Print."
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