How to Copy Text from Secured PDF without Password | 4 Ways [2024]

How to Copy Text from Secured PDF without Password | 4 Ways [2024]

 Enjoy Your 3-Min Reading

Protecting PDFs with passwords is a good and workable way to prevent PDFs from copying, editing, printing, and unauthorized access. However, it also means that you can’t copy text from PDF easily when you want to copy words to make a note. Don’t worry. This post will tell you how to copy text from secured PDF without password using 4 professional PDF unlocker software. If you are unable to copy text from PDF, just keep on reading and find the best solution.

How to Copy Text from Secured PDF without Password

🧐 Way 1. Copy Text from Protected PDF by WorkinTool

If you want to copy and paste text from locked PDF easily, you cannot miss WorkinTool PDF Converter – a comprehensive and easy-to-use PDF unlocker software with both Windows and online versions. When your PDF is copying protected, you can use Unlock PDF tool to remove copy protection from PDF without knowing the password. In other words, if you can open but be unable to copy text from PDF. In this case, you can unlock the secured PDF file without password.

However, if PDF can only access with a password, you need to get the password to unlock it and then copy text. Moreover, other than this, it can extract text from scanned PDFs, open a password-protected PDF, lock a PDF from editing, convert to/from PDFs, etc. All you need about PDF is in WorkinTool PDF Converter.

📌 The Best PDF Unlocker Software to Copy Text from Secured PDF – WorkinTool
🥇 Automatically remove copy protection from PDFs with/without password. 🥈 Unlock secured PDF files in batches within seconds. 🥉 Free to use all 20+ PDF tools without quantity and time limits. 🏅 Only three moves to copy text from locked PDF files.

🔎 A Quick Guide to Making It with WorkinTool

• Step 1. Download and open WorkinTool PDF Converter. Then tap Tool Box > Unlock PDF to select your secured PDF file.

• Step 2. Enter the password if needed. Then click Unlock PDF to continue.

• Step 3. Insert more protected PDF documents by hitting Add file button. Lastly, press Unlock PDF button to start. Within seconds, you can select and copy text from locked PDF by pressing Ctrl + C.

✨ Bonus: Review the Process with GIF

✨ The Verdict

🧐 Way 2. Unlock PDF and Copy Text with PDFelement 

If you want to find a multi-platform PDF unlocker software to help you copy text from secured PDF, Wondershare PDFelement will be your first choice. It can offer a range of PDF tools and performs well on Windows, Mac, mobile devices, and online. With PDFelement, you can quickly access protected PDF files with password.

And then decrypt it to extract text without password next time. However, the output file will be added watermarks in the free version. Moreover, you can only get a 14-day free trial to experience all its features at zero cost.

🔎 How to Copy Text from Secured PDF by PDFelement

• Step 1. Open the encrypted PDF file with Wondershare PDFelement. Then type the password and click OK to continue.

• Step 2. Navigate to Protect > Set Password. Then deselect the Open Password button and click Save.

• Step 3. Tap File > Save as to keep the unlocked PDF without the copy restriction. Then you can effortlessly copy and paste text from secured PDF without password.

✨ The Verdict

🧐 Way 3. Extract Text from Locked PDF in Adobe

When you want to copy and paste text from a protected PDF, don’t forget to use the PDF unlocker wizard — Adobe Acrobat Pro. Equipped with various PDF functions, extracting text from secured PDFs is a piece of cake for Adobe Acrobat. The copy protection will be removed from the locked PDF in Adobe with several clicks.

Moreover, you can lock PDFs from copying with password, create PDFs from various formats, and edit PDF files with handy annotation tools in Adobe. Nonetheless, you can only enjoy the fully-functioned Adobe Acrobat Pro for a two-week free trial.

🔎 How to Copy Text from Secured PDF in Adobe Acrobat 

• Step 1. Open a locked PDF file in Adobe. Then enter the keyword to access it.
• Step 2. Find Protect function in the Tools center. Then tap Advanced Options > Remove Security. Then click OK in a pop-up window. 
• Step 3. Press File > Save as to maintain the unsecured PDF file. At last, you can copy text from secured PDF without a password for your later use.

✨ The Verdict

🧐 Way 4. Using Google Chrome Online Free

Google Chrome is not only a search engine but also a PDF viewer and printer. Hence, you can fully use Google Chrome’s Print function to remove copy protection from secured PDFs online. And it’s super simple to make it without downloading third-party software. However, it also indicates that Google Chrome only works well when your PDF lacks print protection. 

🔎 How to Copy Text from Secured PDF Online in Google Chrome

• Step 1. Right-click locked PDF to select open with Google Chrome.
• Step 2. Enter your password and click the print icon in your right upper hand.
• Step 3. Click Save to save the PDF without password. Then you can easily open it and extract text by clicking Ctrl + C on Windows or Command + C on Mac.

✨ The Verdict

FAQs

❓ Why can’t copy words from PDF?

Multiple reasons can cause the no access to copying words from PDF. Below lists the three common reasons.

• 📺 Scanned/Image-Based PDF: Suppose your PDF comprises whole pages of pictures or you have a scanned PDF document. In this case, you cannot select and copy content from it.
• ❌ Protected PDF with Password: If the PDF documents are encrypted with password, you cannot open PDF, let alone copy text from PDF.
• 😥 Copying Protected PDF: If the author sets copy protection to PDF files, you can only open and view the PDF but fail to extract text.

❓ How do I copy text from a protected PDF?

If you want to copy text from a protected PDF, you can directly open and press Ctrl + C or Command + C to copy text with a password. However, if you want to copy text from a protected PDF without entering password anymore, removing security from PDF is the fastest way. And you can use WorkinTool PDF Converter to easily unlock PDF within three moves and copy PDF words without password.

The Bottom Line

Generally speaking, this post tells you how to copy text from secured PDF without password using four workable PDF unlocker software. And their advantages and disadvantages are also covered in this article. After comparisons, you can easily pick the most suitable one to copy text from protected PDF. Hope this post will be beneficial to you.