My PDFs are locked

[Lysonic]

I have a Mac laptop and have been creating and using PDFs for many years. I normally use Preview to open and read PDFs without any problems. All of a sudden my PDFs are locked and require a password to open. I have tried every password I've ever used on my computer but none of them work. I would like to emphasize that these are MY files, not someone else's, so no one else locked them. I downloaded Adobe Acrobat Reader but it won't open the files either. It's very frustrating.

Thanks!

[try67]

Considering that Acrobat Reader can't lock files, it's most likely an external issue. Might be a virus that locked them, or some network utility or something like that. What exactly does it say when you try to open them?

[Lysonic]

I agree; it’s very mysterious. It’s not really a Mac sort of thing in my experience.

In Preview it says “This document is password protected. Please enter the password below.”

When I try opening it in Adobe Acrobat it says “NR73 is locked. Please enter a Document Open Password”

Thanks,

Alan
[Private info removed]

[try67]

Can you share a sample file with us?

PS. You should not post your contact details here. I've removed them for your previous post.

[Lysonic]

Thank you. I'm attaching screenshots from my attempt to open this file first in Preview, then in Acrobat.

I appreciate your help!

[try67]

Do NOT open the files in Preview. It corrupts them in various ways. Do you have a copy of the file saved from before you opened it there?

[Lysonic]

Unfortunately not. I have been opening PDFs in Preview for years without problems but now everything I save gets locked, and because I didn't lock it I don't have the password to open it.

[Lysonic]

You may be right about Preview: I just opened another PDF using Acrobat and it opened right away. Maybe my Preview has been corrupted?

[try67]

Could be, but it's known to corrupt PDF files for several decades now. Apple has not solved the issues with it, despite being informed about them multiple times.

[Lysonic]

Funny, I've never had a problem before. Maybe a recent OS update has a conflict. I guess I have to live with it.

Thanks for your help!