Have you ever found a file with a locked PDF format and its contents cannot be copied or printed? Though the contents of the file are important and are needed quickly.
Now you no longer need to retype the entire contents of the document because there are many free services that can open locked PDF files without using software or applications.
But, keep in mind that there are two types of keys that are commonly used in PDF files, namely the owner password and open password. The owner password is usually used to protect your PDF files from ignorant hands who want to change their contents. So other people can read your files but can't do any editing.
While the open password is the key that is placed so that others can not access the file. If you forget the password to open this file, you also cannot access it. Unfortunately, this locking method cannot be opened using any service or application.
Therefore, the tips below only apply to PDF files that are locked by the owner password method. Here's how to open locked PDFs on smartphones and PCs.
1. Enter the Smallpdf Site
If you search for the keyword "how to open locked pdf" on Google, the smallpdf.com site is in the top search results. Not surprisingly, this site offers various solutions for PDF files under one roof.
After entering the Smallpdf site's main page via a browser on your PC or smartphone, select the Unlock PDF menu.
2. Select Document
Select the PDF file that you want to unlock. Besides being able to retrieve files from a PC or smartphone, you can also choose files in cloud storage such as Google Drive and Dropbox.
After you select the desired file, don't forget to check the box that says "I pinky swear that I have the right to edit this file and remove its protection".
3. Open Lock
After the lock in the PDF file is successfully opened, you can download it to your PC or smartphone. Apart from that, you also have the option to convert it into a Word file directly.
Well, the way above is to open a locked PDF file. As a bonus, I will also provide a way to lock your PDF files with a password using Smallpdf.
1. Select the Protect PDF Menu
After entering the Smallpdf main page in the browser, select the Protect PDF menu.
2. Select Document
Select the PDF file that you want to encrypt or lock with a password. Smallpdf secures your files with 128-bit AES encryption.
After selecting the desired file, enter the chosen password and repeat it again. After that, click Encrypt PDF.
It's worth noting that your PDF file can't be opened without this password, so don't forget it.
3. Download PDF files
Once done, you can directly download the PDF file to your PC or smartphone. Your PDF file is now locked and cannot be accessed by just anyone.