Method 1 of 10: Finding What is Restricted
-
1
Open the PDF file. If
you need a password to open the file, then you will need to download
encryption-breaking software. This method is very CPU-intensive, and
even the simplest passwords can take days to crack, leaving your
computer unable to perform any other tasks during that time. For
highly-encrypted passwords, there is little chance that it can ever be
cracked.
Ad
-
2
Check the security. If
you don’t need a password to open the file, you can see if a file is
secured by looking for the padlock icon. This is located at the top of
the left bar if the document has security. Click the icon to see what is
restricted.
- Try copying. Restricted documents are often protected against
copying. If you can’t highlight or copy any text, then the document has
been restricted.
1Open the PDF file. If you need a password to open the file, then you will need to download encryption-breaking software. This method is very CPU-intensive, and even the simplest passwords can take days to crack, leaving your computer unable to perform any other tasks during that time. For highly-encrypted passwords, there is little chance that it can ever be cracked.Ad
2Check the security. If you don’t need a password to open the file, you can see if a file is secured by looking for the padlock icon. This is located at the top of the left bar if the document has security. Click the icon to see what is restricted.