Edit secured PDFs

You can control PDF access with passwords and feature restrictions like printing and editing. With the document password, you can remove security. For server-based security, only the policy author or administrator can make changes. Contact the PDF creator or author for editing passwords.

If you attempt to edit a password-protected PDF, you'll see an error message: This is a secured document. Editing is not permitted.

Remove password security

Forgot document or permissions password

If you are the owner of a PDF and don't remember the password required to open the PDF, you have to re-create the PDF. There is no way to recover the password in Acrobat.

If you own a PDF and have forgotten the permissions password used to restrict certain features in the PDF, use the following steps to make the PDF editable by printing a copy.

Edit signed or certified PDFs

Certifying a document assures recipients that the document is authentic. If a PDF is signed using a digital ID or certificate, it’s locked to prevent changes to the document. Digital IDs or certificates used to sign PDFs are used for the commercial and legal purpose and are governed by laws in many countries.

When you try to edit a signed or certified PDF, you get the following error.

For more information on editing a signed or certified PDF, see Edit a signed PDF | FAQ.