Data security is the primary reason people use PDF documents when delivering confidential information. It allows you to protect your PDF file from unauthorized access and unlawful distribution. People cannot easily print protected PDF documents unless they know the security password.

But, what if you are authorized to access the PDF file? You have already viewed its contents and want to print it. As you click on that print button, a warning pops up on your screen. You don’t have permission to print the document. Isn’t that frustrating? You wonder.

How to print a secured PDF? There are three effective ways that you can choose to print locked pdf files. Read on to know what are these ways.

Method 1. Print with Google Docs

If you use Gmail, then Google is always ready to help you. You can use Google Docs to help you print locked PDF files. Just follow the steps below.

Step 1: Upload the Secured PDF

The first step to print a secured PDF document using Google Docs is to upload the file into the cloud. In this way, you are creating an unrestricted copy of the original file. You can use this copy to print the contents of your PDF file.

Uploading a PDF file to Google Docs is pretty simple. Here are the steps:

  1. Open Google Docs and login to your account. It will show you a gallery of templates you can use to start a new document. Below that, you will see on the dashboard a list of documents you recently created. Look to the right side of the screen and find the folder icon.
  2. Click on the folder icon to open the file picker.
  3. Select the PDF file that you wish to print and click upload.

Step 2: Save the Google Docs File

Google Docs actually allows you to print directly from its platform. But with locked PDF files, you will have to do a few extra steps to remove the restrictions. Here’s how to print a secured PDF using Google Docs.

  1. Open the file that you have uploaded to view it.
  2. Click the printer icon on the upper right corner of the screen.
  3. On the print dialogue box that appears, click the save button.

You cannot print a restricted PDF document using the Google platform. But, if you download it on your computer, it creates an unrestricted copy of the PDF file that you wish to print. You can then use your PDF reader to print this unrestricted file.

Method 2. Use a PDF Editor Like PDFelement

Since we have mentioned using a PDF reader when printing locked PDF documents with Google Docs, it would be helpful to know a quicker method. If you have a PDF editor like PDFelemet, you don’t have to go through Google to print locked PDF files. You can open this secured PDF on the software and print from there. PDF editors such as PDFelement help you remove password restrictions on a protected PDF document.

 

Here’s how to print a secured PDF using PDFelement:

  1. Open the locked PDF using PDFelement.
  2. Click “Enable Editing” to unlock printing restrictions.
  3. Go to the “File” tab on the menu bar and select the “Print” option.
  4. Choose your desired setting and print your document.

Wasn’t that quick and easy? Yes, it is but you also need to know that there are two passwords that you need to consider when using PDFelement. The “Open” password protects the PDF from unauthorized access. You may need to put in these details when opening a protected PDF document using PDFelement. Another password is called the “Permission” password. This restricts the editing and printing of the PDF document. You can choose to remove this “Permission” password using PDFelement.


Method 3. Download Wondershare’s PDF Password Remover

This final method is an alternative to PDFelement. If you already have a PDF reader and don’t want to install PDFelement, then you can have this one instead. Wondershare’s PDF Password Remover is a useful tool for printing locked PDF documents. It helps you remove editing and printing restrictions on a protected PDF file.

Here’s how to print a secured PDF using Wondershare’s PDF Password Remover:

  1. Launch the Wondershare PDF Password Remover Tool on your computer.
  2. Click the “Add Files” button on the top left corner of the dialogue box.
  3. Select the PDF document that you wish to unlock.
  4. Choose a destination folder to save your unlocked PDF document.
  5. Click the “Start” button on the bottom right corner of the dialogue box.
  6. Open the unlocked copy of the PDF document using your PDF reader.
  7. Print the document with your desired settings using your PDF reader.

See, that was quick and easy! Go ahead and download this powerful PDF password remover from Wondershare. It’s quite easy to use. Its interface is quite straightforward. You don’t have to be an expert in data encryption to use this software.

Failing to print a secured PDF after viewing doesn’t have to cause you frustration. These three genius methods give you an effective solution to your predicament. You don’t need to throw a tantrum because someone refused to give you permission. Data security still comes on top of the priority list. If you do not know the password to open the secured file, then you will really need to call the file administrator to give you the password. These methods will not remove that access password to the secured PDF document.