Remove Protection

Remove password security from a PDF document. This can only be accomplished with the owner password of the document which must be passed in the operation.

Rest API

See our public API Reference for Remove Protection

Remove security from PDFs

Use the below sample to remove security from a PDF document.

Please refer the API usage guide to understand how to use our APIs.

Java

.NET

Node JS

Rest API

// Get the samples from https://www.adobe.com/go/pdftoolsapi_java_samples
// Run the sample:
// mvn -f pom.xml exec:java -Dexec.mainClass=com.adobe.pdfservices.operation.samples.removeprotection.RemoveProtection
 
  public class RemoveProtection {
 
    // Initialize the logger.
    private static final Logger LOGGER = LoggerFactory.getLogger(RemoveProtection.class);
 
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try {
            // Initial setup, create credentials instance.
           Credentials credentials = Credentials.servicePrincipalCredentialsBuilder()
                    .withClientId("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_ID")
                    .withClientSecret("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_SECRET")
                    .build();
 
            // Create an ExecutionContext using credentials and create a new operation instance.
            ExecutionContext executionContext = ExecutionContext.create(credentials);
            RemoveProtectionOperation removeProtectionOperation = RemoveProtectionOperation.createNew();
 
            // Set operation input from a source file.
            FileRef source = FileRef.createFromLocalFile("src/main/resources/removeProtectionInput.pdf");
            removeProtectionOperation.setInput(source);
 
            // Set the password for removing security from a PDF document.
            removeProtectionOperation.setPassword("password");
 
            // Execute the operation.
            FileRef result = removeProtectionOperation.execute(executionContext);
 
            // Save the result to the specified location.
            result.saveAs("output/removeProtectionOutput.pdf");
 
        } catch (IOException | ServiceApiException | SdkException | ServiceUsageException e) {
            LOGGER.error("Exception encountered while executing operation", e);
        }
    }
  }  
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// Get the samples from https://www.adobe.com/go/pdftoolsapi_java_samples
// Run the sample:
// mvn -f pom.xml exec:java -Dexec.mainClass=com.adobe.pdfservices.operation.samples.removeprotection.RemoveProtection
 
  public class RemoveProtection {
 
    // Initialize the logger.
    private static final Logger LOGGER = LoggerFactory.getLogger(RemoveProtection.class);
 
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        try {
            // Initial setup, create credentials instance.
           Credentials credentials = Credentials.servicePrincipalCredentialsBuilder()
                    .withClientId("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_ID")
                    .withClientSecret("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_SECRET")
                    .build();
 
            // Create an ExecutionContext using credentials and create a new operation instance.
            ExecutionContext executionContext = ExecutionContext.create(credentials);
            RemoveProtectionOperation removeProtectionOperation = RemoveProtectionOperation.createNew();
 
            // Set operation input from a source file.
            FileRef source = FileRef.createFromLocalFile("src/main/resources/removeProtectionInput.pdf");
            removeProtectionOperation.setInput(source);
 
            // Set the password for removing security from a PDF document.
            removeProtectionOperation.setPassword("password");
 
            // Execute the operation.
            FileRef result = removeProtectionOperation.execute(executionContext);
 
            // Save the result to the specified location.
            result.saveAs("output/removeProtectionOutput.pdf");
 
        } catch (IOException | ServiceApiException | SdkException | ServiceUsageException e) {
            LOGGER.error("Exception encountered while executing operation", e);
        }
    }
  }

// Get the samples from https://www.adobe.com/go/pdftoolsapi_net_samples
// Run the sample:
// cd RemoveProtection/
// dotnet run RemoveProtection.csproj

  namespace RemoveProtection
  {
    class Program
    {
        private static readonly ILog log = LogManager.GetLogger(typeof(Program));
        static void Main()
        {
            //Configure the logging
            ConfigureLogging();
            try
            {
                // Initial setup, create credentials instance.
                Credentials credentials = Credentials.ServicePrincipalCredentialsBuilder()
                        .WithClientId("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_ID")
                        .WithClientSecret("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_SECRET")
                        .Build();
 
                // Create an ExecutionContext using credentials.
                ExecutionContext executionContext = ExecutionContext.Create(credentials);
 
                // Create a new operation instance
                RemoveProtectionOperation removeProtectionOperation = RemoveProtectionOperation.CreateNew();
 
                // Set operation input from a source file.
                FileRef sourceFileRef = FileRef.CreateFromLocalFile(@"removeProtectionInput.pdf");
                removeProtectionOperation.SetInput(sourceFileRef);
 
                // Set the password for removing security from a PDF document.
                removeProtectionOperation.SetPassword("password");
 
                // Execute the operation.
                FileRef result = removeProtectionOperation.Execute(executionContext);
 
                // Save the result to the specified location.
                result.SaveAs(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() + "/output/removeProtectionOutput.pdf");
            }
            catch (ServiceUsageException ex)
            {
                log.Error("Exception encountered while executing operation", ex);
            }
            // Catch more errors here . . .
        }
 
        static void ConfigureLogging()
        {
            ILoggerRepository logRepository = LogManager.GetRepository(Assembly.GetEntryAssembly());
            XmlConfigurator.Configure(logRepository, new FileInfo("log4net.config"));
        }
    }
  }
   
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// Get the samples from https://www.adobe.com/go/pdftoolsapi_net_samples
// Run the sample:
// cd RemoveProtection/
// dotnet run RemoveProtection.csproj

  namespace RemoveProtection
  {
    class Program
    {
        private static readonly ILog log = LogManager.GetLogger(typeof(Program));
        static void Main()
        {
            //Configure the logging
            ConfigureLogging();
            try
            {
                // Initial setup, create credentials instance.
                Credentials credentials = Credentials.ServicePrincipalCredentialsBuilder()
                        .WithClientId("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_ID")
                        .WithClientSecret("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_SECRET")
                        .Build();
 
                // Create an ExecutionContext using credentials.
                ExecutionContext executionContext = ExecutionContext.Create(credentials);
 
                // Create a new operation instance
                RemoveProtectionOperation removeProtectionOperation = RemoveProtectionOperation.CreateNew();
 
                // Set operation input from a source file.
                FileRef sourceFileRef = FileRef.CreateFromLocalFile(@"removeProtectionInput.pdf");
                removeProtectionOperation.SetInput(sourceFileRef);
 
                // Set the password for removing security from a PDF document.
                removeProtectionOperation.SetPassword("password");
 
                // Execute the operation.
                FileRef result = removeProtectionOperation.Execute(executionContext);
 
                // Save the result to the specified location.
                result.SaveAs(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() + "/output/removeProtectionOutput.pdf");
            }
            catch (ServiceUsageException ex)
            {
                log.Error("Exception encountered while executing operation", ex);
            }
            // Catch more errors here . . .
        }
 
        static void ConfigureLogging()
        {
            ILoggerRepository logRepository = LogManager.GetRepository(Assembly.GetEntryAssembly());
            XmlConfigurator.Configure(logRepository, new FileInfo("log4net.config"));
        }
    }
  }

// Get the samples from http://www.adobe.com/go/pdftoolsapi_node_sample
// Run the sample:
// node src/removeprotection/remove-protection.js

   const PDFServicesSdk = require('@adobe/pdfservices-node-sdk');
  
   try {
     // Initial setup, create credentials instance.
       const credentials =  PDFServicesSdk.Credentials
           .servicePrincipalCredentialsBuilder()
           .withClientId("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_ID")
           .withClientSecret("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_SECRET")
           .build();
  
     // Create an ExecutionContext using credentials
     const executionContext = PDFServicesSdk.ExecutionContext.create(credentials);
  
     // Create a new operation instance.
     const removeProtectionOperation = PDFServicesSdk.RemoveProtection.Operation.createNew(),
         input = PDFServicesSdk.FileRef.createFromLocalFile(
             'resources/removeProtectionInput.pdf',
             PDFServicesSdk.RemoveProtection.SupportedSourceFormat.pdf
         );
     // Set operation input from a source file.
     removeProtectionOperation.setInput(input);
  
     // Set the password for removing security from a PDF document.
     removeProtectionOperation.setPassword("password");
  
     // Execute the operation and Save the result to the specified location.
     removeProtectionOperation.execute(executionContext)
         .then(result => result.saveAsFile('output/removeProtectionOutput.pdf'))
         .catch(err => {
             if(err instanceof PDFServicesSdk.Error.ServiceApiError
                 || err instanceof PDFServicesSdk.Error.ServiceUsageError) {
                 console.log('Exception encountered while executing operation', err);
             } else {
                 console.log('Exception encountered while executing operation', err);
             }
         });
   } catch (err) {
     console.log('Exception encountered while executing operation', err);
   }
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// Get the samples from http://www.adobe.com/go/pdftoolsapi_node_sample
// Run the sample:
// node src/removeprotection/remove-protection.js

   const PDFServicesSdk = require('@adobe/pdfservices-node-sdk');
  
   try {
     // Initial setup, create credentials instance.
       const credentials =  PDFServicesSdk.Credentials
           .servicePrincipalCredentialsBuilder()
           .withClientId("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_ID")
           .withClientSecret("PDF_SERVICES_CLIENT_SECRET")
           .build();
  
     // Create an ExecutionContext using credentials
     const executionContext = PDFServicesSdk.ExecutionContext.create(credentials);
  
     // Create a new operation instance.
     const removeProtectionOperation = PDFServicesSdk.RemoveProtection.Operation.createNew(),
         input = PDFServicesSdk.FileRef.createFromLocalFile(
             'resources/removeProtectionInput.pdf',
             PDFServicesSdk.RemoveProtection.SupportedSourceFormat.pdf
         );
     // Set operation input from a source file.
     removeProtectionOperation.setInput(input);
  
     // Set the password for removing security from a PDF document.
     removeProtectionOperation.setPassword("password");
  
     // Execute the operation and Save the result to the specified location.
     removeProtectionOperation.execute(executionContext)
         .then(result => result.saveAsFile('output/removeProtectionOutput.pdf'))
         .catch(err => {
             if(err instanceof PDFServicesSdk.Error.ServiceApiError
                 || err instanceof PDFServicesSdk.Error.ServiceUsageError) {
                 console.log('Exception encountered while executing operation', err);
             } else {
                 console.log('Exception encountered while executing operation', err);
             }
         });
   } catch (err) {
     console.log('Exception encountered while executing operation', err);
   }

// Please refer our Rest API docs for more information 
// https://developer.adobe.com/document-services/docs/apis/#tag/Remove-Protection

curl --location --request POST 'https://pdf-services.adobe.io/operation/removeprotection' \
--header 'x-api-key: {{Placeholder for client_id}}' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer {{Placeholder for token}}' \
--data-raw '{
    "password": "mypassword",
    "assetID": "urn:aaid:AS:UE1:23c30ee0-2e4d-46d6-87f2-087832fca718"
}'

// Legacy API can be found here 
// https://documentcloud.adobe.com/document-services/index.html#post-removeProtection
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// Please refer our Rest API docs for more information 
// https://developer.adobe.com/document-services/docs/apis/#tag/Remove-Protection

curl --location --request POST 'https://pdf-services.adobe.io/operation/removeprotection' \
--header 'x-api-key: {{Placeholder for client_id}}' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--header 'Authorization: Bearer {{Placeholder for token}}' \
--data-raw '{
    "password": "mypassword",
    "assetID": "urn:aaid:AS:UE1:23c30ee0-2e4d-46d6-87f2-087832fca718"
}'

// Legacy API can be found here 
// https://documentcloud.adobe.com/document-services/index.html#post-removeProtection

Protect PDF

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Last updated 9/4/2024

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Remove Protection

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Remove security from PDFs

Rest API