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Participating Frequently
February 6, 2021
Question

Password protected file that has no password

  • February 6, 2021
  • 5 replies
  • 1547 views

I was sent a file from a builder to give them a quote. When I open the file all the layers are seperated and it says I can't edit because it's password protected. I called the drafting engineer who designed and shared the file and he said it does not have a password. He has never used a password on any of his files. Now what do I do?

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5 replies

JR Boulay
Community Expert
February 12, 2021

As shown in your screenshot n ° 1, this PDF document is well protected by a password.

Your correspondent is therefore either a liar or an ignorant.

If you want to unlock this PDF without having the password ask Google how to do it. Here it's taboo.

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
JR Boulay
Community Expert
February 8, 2021

The text seems rather poor quality, it looks like a poorly compressed image in JPEG or in JPEG2000. 

 

default1kwds27yb7we, can you post a screenshot of what you see in File menu : Properties : Security?

 

What is the creator software? (Go to File menu : Properties : General)

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
Participating Frequently
February 11, 2021

Since the file is protected the only thing I can do is use my snipping tool which is why the uploaded images are PNG. This is a snippit of the general description tab and the security tab in the properties sub-menu of the file. 

Brainiac
February 7, 2021

I've looked at your screen shot. The text seems rather poor quality, but I still have no idea what you mean by "all the layers are separated"...

JR Boulay
Community Expert
February 6, 2021

1. By design, the layers are separate and independent of each other. It's normal.

 

2. Go to File menu : Properties : Security : and check what kind of protection the document has.

 

Acrobate du PDF, InDesigner et Photoshopographe
Participating Frequently
February 6, 2021

I'm pretty computer savvy so I've tried all the obvious things. Change security, password and PASSWORD as the passwords and nothing. The PDF says it has security and requires a password but the drafter that created the PDF and designed the house has not put a password on the PDF. I can't enter a password that was never created to change the security and you can't just change the security on a PDF without a password. This is what the entire PDF file looks like. I used to use Reader but upgraded and started paying for Pro so I had both programs on my computer still. I uninstalled both programs, repaired my Adobe Creative Cloud, reinstalled Pro first and it was still messed up so I then uninstalled Pro and installed Reader and the same thing. This is not a common issue, I've not found another post with this same issue in the forums. I've printed the pages I need so I can do the bid but I use PDF for 99% of my bidding and just want it to work properly. Any ideas?

Brainiac
February 6, 2021

I don't understand what uyou mean by " When I open the file all the layers are seperated" -- please show a screen shot?

 

What app (e.g. Acrobat Reader, Acrobat Pro), version, and platform (e.g. Windows 10, iPad)?

Participating Frequently
February 6, 2021

This is what the entire PDF file looks like. I used to use Reader but upgraded and started paying for Pro so I had both programs on my computer still. I uninstalled both programs, repaired my Adobe Creative Cloud, reinstalled Pro first and it was still messed up so I then uninstalled Pro and installed Reader and the same thing. I'm pretty computer savvy so I've tried all the obvious things. Change security, password and PASSWORD as the passwords and nothing. This is not a common issue, I've not found another post with this same issue in the forums. I've printed the pages I need so I can do the bid but I use PDF for 99% of my bidding and just want it to work properly. Any ideas?