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The Secure PDF can be viewed and edited only by entering a password and, in general, are used for sending documents from the strictly confidential content.
You will certainly have noticed that, unlike other files of the same format, the print icon does not appear immediately.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t print it. To unlock the function, you have two ways: rely on online services or download specific software directly to your computer or mobile device (smartphone or tablet).
Online services to unlock and print secure PDFs
The network is a great resource. It provides you with the most suitable solution for any kind of problem. In this case, in order to unlock and print a secure PDF you simply need to access an online service that can be used from your browser page.
The only real flaw could be the upload speed, but the security of the content is guaranteed. The managers ensure, in fact, the immediate deletion of the file within a few hours of being uploaded.
For greater confidentiality, however, we advise against using such a system if the document contains credit card numbers and other sensitive data.
The Online2PDF site, for example, offers an excellent service, which is free of charge, for unlocking protected files. Its action does not change the status of the document which can be viewed, edited, transformed into other formats and printed.
The maximum size of the PDF, however, must not exceed 150 MB. All you have to do is upload the file, click Convert and download to your computer (manual or automatic). The uploaded data will be deleted, as anticipated, within a few hours.
If you are looking for other online solutions you can choose between: PDF2GO or PDF Candy.
The operation is more or less the same for everyone and even if the graphics and upload methods change, the result is always the same: you can print your protected PDFs.
How to unlock and print a secure PDF with a simple App?
Another valid solution, this time offline, concerns the use of specific programs. We recommend below some software that works on Windows, MacOS and Linux:
- QPDF: Compatible with major operating systems, has no graphical interface and only works from the command line. After downloading, extract the program from the ZIP archive and launch the command prompt. Enter the string “ qpdf –decrypt ” and drag the PDF you want to unlock. Hit the Enter key and that’s it.
- Portable PDF Unlocker: The free software is specific to Windows operating systems. Download the program and unpack it. Drag the file into the space provided and it will automatically be converted and made printable.
If you work a lot with tablets and smartphones you can try these very simple Apps: PDF Utilities and Unlock PDF (compatible only with Android devices), PDF it All Document Converter for iOS / iPadOS.
The applications in the free version have some limitations concerning the size of the files to be transformed and made printable. With a monthly contribution, which can vary from $2.00 to $3.50, it is possible to break down these barriers and convert more pages or MB.
We remind you, in any case, that the unauthorised unlocking of a file that contains private information can lead to the violation of privacy and, therefore, a crime.
Now you have all the useful tools to be able to print a secure PDF in a few moments and in total safety, just make sure you have quality cartridges or toners available!