How to Remove a Password from a PDF on Mac

By NUR Technologies · · 3 min read

A password-protected PDF is annoying when you open it every day. If you know the password, you can save an unprotected copy. This guide is for your own files: it does not crack passwords you do not have.

Before you start

Removing a password only works if you know it. Neither Preview nor Rivet guesses or breaks passwords. Only do this with documents you own or are allowed to unlock.

Option 1: Preview (free, built in)

  1. Open the PDF and enter the passwordDouble-click the file in Finder and type the password when Preview asks.
  2. Export a copyChoose File > Export as PDF… and give the copy a new name.
  3. Check itOpen the new copy: it should open without asking for a password. If your version of macOS shows an encryption option in the save dialog, leave it off.

Option 2: Rivet

Rivet has a Password tool that adds a password or removes one if you know it. It asks for the password, rejects a wrong one and checks that the result is no longer encrypted. It also works inside Batch, so you can unlock a whole folder with the same password.

  1. Open PasswordDrop the PDF on Rivet and choose Password.
  2. Choose remove and enter itType the current password.
  3. SaveSave the unprotected copy. Your original is not changed.

FAQ

Can I remove a PDF password if I forgot it?

These tools do not recover forgotten passwords. You need the password, or the person who set it.

Is the original changed?

No. You save a new copy and the original stays as it was.

Can Rivet unlock many PDFs at once?

Yes, in Batch mode you can include the password step for folders of files.

What does Rivet need?

Rivet requires macOS 26 or later.

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