How to Copy Text from Protected PDF? Top Ways

Summary: A business employee received a project brief from a client in multiple password-protected PDF files. Now, he needs to copy something from the briefing to use for his presentation. But he can’t, as in those protected PDF files, user will not be able to bulk copy their content. Therefore, this blog will guide users to copy text from Protected PDFs with simple and easy methods. Manual methods will guide users with personal or limited use; for professional use, users must use the PDF Unlocker Tool. Continue with the blog to learn the process.

Techniques to Copy Text from Protected PDF

Do you think copying text is always easy? No, in the case of a protected PDF, it’s not at all easy to copy text from. Users will have to choose between longer and time-consuming methods or use a simple and easy alternative. Manually copying text from a Protected PDF is hard, and the results might be inaccurate. Therefore, for a faster and accurate process, a specialized tool will be discussed further.

#1 Method to Copy Text from Secured PDF Manually (Windows)

This method will guide users to copy text from the password-protected PDF file manually for Windows. We will first open our Protected File using a Web browser or any PDF viewer tool. Then, we will use the print command on the Protected PDF and save it as a normal PDF. The user can then open the normal PDF and use its text as needed.

Follow these steps to do it error-free:

1. First, open the Protected PDF file with any Browser or PDF viewer.
2. Next, click on the print option from the toolbar or simply press CTRL+P.
3. Now, pick Print to PDF or Save as PDF from the available options. 
4. Then, click the Print or Save button below and choose the folder to save the PDF file.
5. At last, open the converted PDF, and you can now copy the text easily.

#2 Method to Copy Text from Password Protected PDF Manually (macOS)

The second method will guide Mac users to use Preview for copying purposes.

Users will first open their PDF file in Preview, then they will export the protected PDF file as a PDF. Then they can copy the text from there.

Follow these detailed steps to export a protected PDF:

1. To start, open your protected PDF in Preview.
2. Now, enter the password to unlock the PDF.
3. Then, go to the File option and opt for Export as PDF without encryption.
4. Next, select a folder to save the PDF on your Mac.
5. At last, open the exported PDF file and copy your desired text.

Limitations to Copy Text from Locked PDF Manually

Let’s discuss the drawbacks of using a manual approach to copy text. Refer reasons below:

1. If the owner of the PDF has disabled printing in the security settings, then this method won’t pass over it.
2. The printed or re-saved PDF file may have altered fonts, uneven spacing, or a different layout.
3. Some browsers, PDF viewers, or Preview struggle to process very large PDFs when reprinting.

#3 Professional Tool to Copy Text from Protected PDF

To make the process simpler and efficient, we recommend using the PDF Unlocker Tool. This tool removes all kinds of restrictions from the PDF files, whether it’s related to copying, editing, or printing. The tool has a simple, easy-to-use User Interface, best for both technical and non-technical users. Also, it allows users to change the existing password on the file.

Steps to quickly copy the text from a protected PDF file:

1. Initially, install and open the unlocker tool on your system.
2. Next, click on Add File or Add Folder to select your PDF files, then click Next.
3. Now, Edit Metadata (optional) and choose the Apply No Password to Output PDF option from User Password Options.
4. In the end, click on the Unlock button to end the process.
5. Now, open the converted PDF file, then copy the text from there.

Conclusion:

Copying text from a password-protected PDF file is always frustrating, particularly when working on an important job. In this blog, we have discussed some techniques on how users can easily copy text from protected PDFs. We mentioned manual techniques to do it for both macOS and Windows. A manual approach to do so is a bit time-consuming and inaccurate. Therefore, we introduced a specialized unlocker tool to make the process simple, time-efficient, and more reliable. Users can download this tool for free and try its demo version.

Related Post