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Written by Tech Notes

Published: 17 November 2014

List Of PDF Password Removers, Recovers, And Crackers.

This is a post for reference on free softwares I have found that I consider safe to install or use (meaning it is not malware or virus infected).  A few listed here in case one stops working and also because they do not all have the same features.  Note that I do not get paid to write these articles.   Items are not listed in any priority or preference.  One may be better for you than the other.  I simply listed them in the order I found them.

Below are several download links.  Once you have downloaded the file, then open it, which will execute the file, and install or run the software as needed.  Some softwares do not require installation and just run once opened, which means you need to run it every time you need them.

Free PDF Password Remover 4dots

OSs: Windows XP, 2003, Vista, etc. Windows Server 2008, 7, etc.
Software Maker: 4dots Software.
Software Function: Unlock PDF documents and remove PDF passwords and restrictions.
Price:  Free

Read here before downloading.
Last that I checked, a safe download link for it was here.  This leads you to cnet's download site, which checks files for malware and viruses before providing them for download.  After you follow the link, you will need to wait until a download windows shows and then you select Save or OK to save the file to your computer.  After downloading the file run it (open/execute the file).

With Free PDF Password Remover 4dots, you can remove unknown owner passwords that set restrictions on printing, editing, copying, form filling, commenting, page extraction and others. This is in addition to removing known user passwords.

PDF Password Remover Tool

OSs: Windows operating system.  Windows 98, Me, NT, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 7, etc.
Software Maker: PDF Technologies.
Software Function: Decrypt and remove passwords of password protected PDF files which have their "owner" password set.
Price:  Free

Read here before downloading.
Last that I checked, a safe download link for it was here.  Directly from the software developers site.  After you follow the link, you will need to wait until a download windows shows and then you select Save or OK to save the file to your computer.  After downloading the file run it (open/execute the file).

As indicated on the developers site, "The Password Remover tool will NOT work with PDF files that have a 'user password' set".

PDFCrack

OSs: Windows operating system.  MS Windows (probably works on most windows, but unknown).  Windows 7.
Software Maker: RubyPDF Technologies.
Software Function: Recovers both the user password and owner password from encrypted PDFs. Does not remove passwords.
Price:  Free

Read here before downloading.
Last that I checked, a safe download link for it was here.  Directly from the software developers site.  An alternative download link used by developers is here. Downloading from either location should get you the latest version.  After you follow the link, you will need to wait until a download windows shows and then you select Save or OK to save the file to your computer.  After downloading the file run it (open/execute the file).  PDFCrack is a command-line tool. Meaning you enter what are called Switches (commands at a command line prompt).  I suspect this file runs in a DOS window environment, and so if it does not automatically open a DOS window and execute, then open a DOS window and run it.  You can reference this image here for the help menu that shows: Screenshot

Something Interesting and SEPARATE from the PDFCrack mentioned above.
Interestingly, I found another older PDFCrack mention and info, but it was or is for Linux and FreeBSD OSs. No idea if the other PDFCrack is related to the PDFCrack mentioned here.  If you got time, you can compare them, and let me know.  For those who are interested here is an article from June of 2012 for "Linux / FreeBSD: PDFCrack A Command Line Password Recovery Tool For PDF Files".  Here is another link for the LINUX software software from a developers site in which the developer states it's use it not recommended and it is out of date and broken at this time, but people can use it to experiment. 

PDFCrypt

OSs: Windows operating system.  MS Windows (probably works on most windows, but unknown).  Windows 7.
Software Maker: RubyPDF Technologies.
Software Function: Unlock PDF documents and remove PDF passwords and restrictions.
Price:  Free

Read here before downloading.
Last that I checked, a safe download link for it was here.  Directly from the software developers site.   Downloading from either location should get you the latest version.  After you follow the link, you will need to wait until a download windows shows and then you select Save or OK to save the file to your computer.  After downloading the file run it (open/execute the file).  PDFCrack is a command-line tool. Meaning you enter what are called Switches (commands at a command line prompt).  I suspect this file runs in a DOS window environment, and so if it does not automatically open a DOS window and execute, then open a DOS window and run it. 

Do not get this PDFCrypt confused with another that is also named PDFCrypt and found at cnet download site.  The other is from Sanface Software, and used to only encrypt, while this PDFCrypt mentioned here is used to unlock pdf files, remove their restrictions and passwords.

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