PDF Password Recovery Tools (Free)

A PDF password remover (likewise called a PDF password cracker, password reset, or password recovery tool, depending upon its ability) is a program that can be used to either discover, eliminate, or bypass the security on a PDF file that avoids you from opening, printing, or altering the PDF file.

The majority of PDF password cracker tools fall into several of three significant categories: tools that recuperate the PDF user password, tools that recuperate the PDF owner password, and tools that eliminate the PDF owner password allowing complete access to the PDF file.

Most of PDF password eliminator tools cost loan but there are also a lot of complimentary ones, the best of which we’ve discovered and evaluated listed below.

Note: An individual PDF password elimination tool may only support the cracking or removing of a password if it’s of a specific kind, for a particular security level, encrypting a certain variation of PDF, or may even have other constraints. I’ll call out any of those understood limitations below.

Important: In a lot of nations, the only legal use of PDF password crackers is to break the security on a PDF file that you have the consent to do so on, like a PDF you secured but forgot the password to.

Need to Crack a Different Kind of Password? See our list of totally free password crackers free of charge programs to break Windows passwords, RAR and ZIP archives, Word and Excel files, and more.

1. PDFCrack

PDFCrack is the best free PDF password recovery tool offered, assuming that’s what you’re after– a real password “recovery” and not a simple PDF password removal or reset.

Method: PDFCrack would be considered a true PDF password recovery program since it recovers both the user password and owner password from encrypted PDFs. PDFCrack uses a brute-force password recovery technique.

Limits: PDFCrack deals with PDF files as much as variation 1.6 with 128-bit RC4 encryption.

My Test: PDFCrack recuperated the 4-digit owner password on a version 1.6 PDF file with 128-bit RC4 encryption in two minutes. A longer and/or more complicated PDF password could take days, weeks, and even longer to recover.

If all you require is a method to bypass the authorizations security in a PDF then PDFCrack is most likely more than you need in a PDF password cracker. However, if you need to understand the actual owner or user password, PDFCrack is your best option.

PDFCrack is a command-line tool and ought to work on Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP, including both 32-bit and 64-bit variations.

2. GuaPDF Demo

GuaPDF, in some cases referred to as Guaranteed PDF Decrypter, is a mix PDF password remover/recovery tool. GuaPDF is simple to use and doesn’t even require installation.

Method: GuaPDF is mainly a PDF password eliminator tool for the owner password however can also be used as a PDF password recovery tool for 40-bit encrypted user passwords.

Limits: GuaPDF deals with PDF files as much as version 1.7 level 3 even with 256-bit AES encryption. However, GuaPDF will only decrypt PDF files at greater levels of version 1.7 if the file encryption is at 128-bit AES.

My Test: GuaPDF got rid of the security on a version 1.7 level 8 PDF file with 128-bit AES file encryption instantly.

Important: Including “demo” software application in a list of freeware programs may appear wrong however the GuaPDF demonstration is totally functional for little files– it doesn’t watermark or pretend to remove the password. Considering that it works throughout nearly all PDF versions and file encryption levels, something not discovered in the majority of other true freeware PDF password removers, I could not skip on consisting of GuaPDF here.

I suggest that you choose GuaPDF as your PDF password cracker if you have a little PDF with only owner restrictions, which is most likely the most common circumstance. If you need to recuperate the owner password, try PDFCrack rather.

GuaPDF deals with 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 10, 8, 7, Vista, XP, 2000, and many Windows server operating systems also.

3.PDF Password Remover

PDF Password Remover is another installable PDF password cleaner. It has a very easy PDF-in/ PDF-out user interface.

Method: PDF Password Remover’s name says all of it– it’s a PDF password remover tool for the PDF owner password, which’s all it does.

Limits: PDF Password Remover works with PDF files up to version 1.7 level 8 with 128-bit RC4 file encryption.

My Test: PDF Password Remover quickly split a version 1.7 level 8 PDF encrypted at 128-bit RC4.

PDF Password Remover is really simple to use however does not support a few of the greater file encryption levels. This may be the perfect PDF password cracker/remover tool for some PDF files but you’ll want to make another option if the encryption level requires it.

I attempted PDF Password Remover on both a 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 7 PC however it must work similarly well in Windows 8, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

4. PdfCrypt

PdfCrypt is another command-line PDF password eliminator. Just define the input and output PDF and a decrypted PDF file is quickly generated.

Method: PdfCrypt is a password remover tool. PdfCrypt will not discover an owner or user password.

Limits: PdfCrypt works with PDF files as much as variation 1.7 level 8 with 128-bit AES file encryption.

My Test: PdfCrypt decrypted a little version 1.7 level 8 PDF file with 128-bit AES encryption in less than a second.

PdfCrypt is easy to use however not as simple as the programs in this list that have an interface. Be sure to look at the consisted of “readme” text file for guidelines on how to use PdfCrypt.

PdfCrypt must work equally well in 32-bit and 64-bit variations of Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP.

5.PDF Unlocker

PDF Unlocker is a Windows installable program that will find the owner password of a PDF file. PDF Unlocker works just like PDFCrack but is instead a native Windows application, making it a bit simpler to use, though noticeably slower.

Method: PDF Unlocker seems like it may be a PDF password cleaner tool but in reality it’s a PDF password recovery program because it finds the real owner password from an encrypted PDF. PDF Unlocker can use either a brute-force or a dictionary password recovery method.

Limits: PDF Unlocker works with PDF files as much as version 1.7 level 8 with 128-bit AES encryption.

My Test: PDF Unlocker recovered the 5-digit owner password on a version 1.7 level 8 PDF with 128-bit AES encryption in about an hour which’s with me specifying the minimum and optimum password length, something you might not understand. A longer password or a password where you don’t know the length beforehand could take PDF Unlocker a number of days, weeks, or longer to split.

Note: PDF Unlocker requires that Java is installed before you can use the program. The program also tries to get you to install a number of other programs during setup however you can cancel them and PDF Unlocker’s install will continue fine.

If you need to understand the real owner password of an encrypted PDF file then PDF Unlocker is a great bet, especially if the PDF is secured at a level that the much faster PDFCrack can’t manage. If you do not require to know the PDF owner password, however rather simply desire it got rid of, try one of the PDF password eliminator programs.

PDF Unlocker ought to operate in Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP, consisting of both 32-bit and 64-bit variations.