A Step-by-Step Approach to UnLocking PDF After Signing

Part 1. Why Are PDFs Locked After Signing?

The main concern here is understanding why a PDF is locked in the first place. The simple answer here is the safety and security of the document. This locking mechanism works as a verification needed to access the content within the document. This ensures that no one but the document's author can tamper or alter its content.

However, it is about protecting the document’s content and adhering to the legal frameworks. Now, such frameworks mandate the user to protect the document and maintain its originality for accuracy. This helps by building a sense of trust between both the parties involved.      

You must also understand that two types of signatures protect your PDF files. The first is the electronic signature, while the other is the digital signature, so let’s break them down for a better understanding:

• Digital Signatures: These are encryption-based signatures that help enhance the document’s security. In most cases, you can access these documents with a random password, and the document’s owner will need the password to remove the signature.
• Electronic Signature: These signatures are mostly about the owner’s consent; you can easily modify or create them. You must remember that electronic signatures do not deal with any encryption. In these cases, The unique thing is that you can add a password even after the signature. This does not do much but just adds another layer of security.           

Another interesting thing you need to know here is that many document authors use password protection and sign it. You can add two different types of passwords: open and permission. Access to the open password will allow you to open and read the document, while the permission password deals with printing, editing, and sharing rights.    

Part 2. Is It Possible to Unlock a PDF After Signing?

The simple answer to this question is yes; you can unlock a PDF after signing it. This should not come as a surprise, considering that if you can lock something, there will also be a way to unlock it. In fact, many tools will help you do that, but more on that later.

But what’s different here is that unlocking a signed PDF will invalidate the signature and might attract many legal adversities. This makes transparent communication between all parties a must-have, even if the need to unlock a a PDF after signing. Following this, there should also be a proper discussion about resigning the document and bringing the new terms into effect again.       

This makes it very important to ensure you are confident about unlocking the PDF. This also means remaining mindful of all the legal considerations about the terms and conditions of unlocking the PDF. One simple thing to do here is keep a copy of the original signed document before making any changes. This way, even if things go south, you always have the option to refer to the original document and do away with any confusion.       

Part 3. Why Might You Need to Unlock a Signed PDF?

There is no secret that there might be many different reasons why someone might need to unlock a signed PDF. At the same time, you must also remember that unlocking a PDF is fine if you do not misuse the information or infringe copyright law. With that out of the way, some of the most common reasons to unlock a signed PDF might include:

• Sharing:The most apparent reason to unlock a signed PDF is to share the information. Since the encryption mechanism is designed to protect the information, you must unlock the PDF before sharing it with someone.               
• Editing: Another common reason people ask how to unlock PDF after signingis to edit the content. In most cases, the PDF’s owners unlock the PDF to edit or change the information inside it.
• Print: You would need to unlock a signed PDF to print it. As soon as you click the print tab on your system, it will automatically ask you for the password, signature, or encryption key needed to unlock it.    

Part 4. How to Unlock a PDF After Signing

Now that you know all the nuances of unlocking a signed PDF, it is time to understand how to do it. There are many ways to unlock a signed PDF, and using a password is one of the most common ways.

This is a simple process where the document’s owner will share the password with authorised people to enable them to access the document. They must enter the password correctly and view, print, or edit the document quickly.       

Apart from the conventional password approach, you can also use many online tools to unlock a signed PDF. So, let’s take a closer look at some of these tools and how you can use them:

Part 4.1: Afirstsoft PDF      

Afirstsoft PDF is one of the best choices for catering to all your PDF-related needs. You can use the tool to edit, annotate, organize, read, and even convert the PDf into another form of document.

It is fair to say that Afirstsoft PDF has been a preferable choice for managing PDF needs for many. The credit for this goes to the under-friendly and highly navigable user interface that eliminates all the clutter from the process.       

Steps to Follow to Unlock a PDF After Signing With Afirstsoft

• Step 1:Launch the Afirstsoft PDF platform on your device and select the PDF file you wish to unlock.
• Step 2:Click the Open PDF tab or use the drag-and-drop option to open the PDF.
• Step 3:If the owner has used an Open password to protect the PDF file, you must type it in to gain access.

• Step 4:Find the Protection tab and the Set Password bar below.
• Step 5:First, uncheck the Open Password tab, put in the Protection Password in the space provided, and uncheck this box as well.   
• Step 6:This will give you access and editing rights to the PDF file, and you can use different features of this amazing tool to edit, annotate, organize, convert, and share the PDF.

Key Features

• AI-powered tools for maintaining a streamlined workflow
• Consistent experience across all devices and operating systems
• Interesting stickers to add visual context and interest in every PDF
• Page deletion feature for unmatched precision in individual sets and batches    

Part 4.2: PDFelement 

This is another preferable tool for managing and meeting all your PDF-related needs. PDFelement has many unique features explicitly designed to eliminate all the clutter you face while using PDFs daily.

Whether editing an existing PDF or creating a new one, you can do everything with these performant tools and an amazing user interface. So, let’s look at the steps you need to follow to find the answer to how to keep PDF unlocked after signing it with a digital signature.      

Steps To Follow To Unlock Signed PDF Using PDFelement  

• Step 1:Download the PDFelement program and install it on your device.
• Step 2:Run the program’s editor function and click on the Open PDF tab.
• Step 3:Find the Protect tab on the top of the screen.
• Step 4:This will open a small bar below where you must click on Manage Signatures.
• Step 5:Click on the Clear All Signatures tab, and you will have access to the PDF without using any password.    

Key Features

• Unique comment styles that bring out the best in your document.
• The ability to create your own stamps with different texts and images
• Reliable PDf measuring tools for accurate dimension annotation
• Compress PDF features to reduce the file’s size in seconds.   

Part 4.3: Universal PDF (UPDF)

Universal PDF, or UPDF, is a highly reliable and useful tool for all your PDF-related needs and requirements. You can use this tool’s unique features to edit, annotate, convert, and share PDF files with others for better collaboration.

Interestingly, the UPDF tool also has a fix for unlocking a signed PDF without using any password. So, let’s take a peek at the steps you need to follow for this:

Steps to Follow To Unlock Signed PDFs Using UPDF

• Step 1: Download the universal PDF platform from the web.
• Step 2: Open the secured PDF file on the tool and click on the Unlock tab to view the file’s content.
• Step 3: This should give you access to the file, and you can then use the UPDF platform to download it to your device.  

Key Features

• Encryption features to secure your PDF files with passwords.
• Digital signature-adding capabilities that help enhance compliance
• Multiple settings to read and take notes on the PDF for a better reading experience
• Summarize and translate your PDFs with advanced AI tools    

Part 4.4: HiPDF  

The next amazing tool you can use to get the most out of your PDF files is HiPDF. This is a very convenient option for anyone who needs to edit, convert, or compress their PDf fields even while on the go.    

But the biggest sell of the HiPDF platform is its feature of unlocking signed PDFs. The free platform has a highly navigable user interface to ensure no issues while unlocking your PDF. All you need to do is follow the following steps to complete the job in no time:

Step To Follow To Unlock Signed PDF Using HiPDF

• Step 1: Open the official HiPDF website and upload the secured PDF.
• Step 2: Type in the password in the space allotted and allow the program to unlock the PDf for you.
• Step 3:Click on the Download tab to get the file on your device, and you can use it based on your needs.    

Key Features

• AI-powered PDF translator that supports more than ten languages
• Seamless PDF to Word conversion for better editing
• Efficient PDF compression based on the needed level
• Electronic signature feature that helps ensure legal compliance  

Part 4.5: Adobe Acrobat  

Adobe Acrobat is another great choice for everything you might need to do with a PDF file.  No matter if you just need to make a couple of edits to your file or gain access to a digitally signed PDF file.  

Adobe Acrobat has a very user-friendly interface that makes it simple to use and helps you save both time and effort. That said, let’s take a look at the steps that will answer the question about how to unlock document on PDF after signing:

Steps To Follow To Unlock Signed PDFs Using Adobe Acrobat

• Step 1:Launch the Adobe Acrobat platform to the manage tab.
• Step 2: Find the PDF file and click Download PDF to get the file’s copy.
• Step 3:Open the file and click on the Lock button on the top left corner of the screen
• Step 4:Choose Permission details and select No Security next to the Security Method option.
• Step 5:Enter the password and click the OK tab to confirm.          

Key Features

• Access control features that ensure you share your documents only with the right people.
• Convert PDF files into different formats for seamless sharing with the right file type.
• Easily usable e-signatures and forms that help you stand out in the crowd.
• Productive and easy modification features that meet the right standards.     

Part 5. FAQs

1. Can I edit a digitally signed PDF?

Yes, you can edit a digitally signed PDF after unlocking it.

2. What is the main purpose of signing a PDF digitally?

Digitally signed PDFs help ensure proper protection and security of the information in the document.

3. Are there any legal implications of unlocking a signed PDF?

Yes, there can be legal consequences for unlocking a digitally signed PDF, making it important to get these things in order from the start.         

Part 6. Final Thoughts

These days, almost everyone uses PDFs for one reason or another, and digital signatures help protect the content of these documents. This makes it very important for you to understand locked PDF files after signing how to unlock steps and get access to your files whenever needed.

You can access these files if you have all the necessary passwords, or take a simpler approach and make the most of the tools mentioned above. So, use this information to your advantage and get the most out of your PDF files.