Certain PDF files have copy restrictions, making it challenging to extract content for reuse. This article provides guidance on two easy methods to copy content from locked PDFs.
1. Convert Locked PDF to Word for Content Copying
When dealing with locked PDFs, the key is to convert them to a format that allows copying. A popular choice is Word. By transforming the locked PDF into a Word document, you gain the freedom to copy its contents. Use the online tool Small PDF for seamless conversion.
Homepage: https://smallpdf.com/en/pdf-converter
Step 1: Begin by accessing Small PDF and choose the Select Files option to pick the PDF file you want to convert to Word, Excel, or PowerPoint.
Step 2: After selecting the file and successfully uploading it, choose To Word for the system to perform the conversion.
Step 3: Since we are using the free version, OCR features are not available. If you have the means, consider purchasing the PRO version with OCR functionality for improved text and content formatting.
Afterwards, wait for the conversion system. The duration varies from 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of your locked PDF file.
Step 4: Once completed, select
Step 5: This is the PDF file after conversion to Word, preserving all content and images for you. With this Word file, feel free to edit, copy content for data duplication, and more.
2. Unlock the PDF file to copy the content
If you can't directly convert a locked PDF to Word, you'll need to unlock the PDF to access its contents. To unlock a PDF, consider using the Small PDF tool.
Homepage: https://smallpdf.com/unlock-pdf
Step 1: Firstly, visit the homepage and select Choose File to pick the PDF file you want to unlock.
Step 2: Next, confirm the Commitment 'You take full responsibility for unlocking the PDF' and choose Unlock PDF to proceed with unlocking.
Step 3: The PDF unlocking process takes a relatively long time, approximately 10 minutes. Once unlocked, choose Download to save the file.
In addition to using Small PDF, you can explore other PDF unlocking tools in the article below!
Effective ways to bypass and remove PDF passwords
Step 4: Now that the PDF is unlocked, you can view the contents normally. However, to copy the content, you need specialized tools like Foxit Reader (free). If you don't have this software, download and install it from the official website:
Foxit Reader Homepage: https://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf-reader/
After downloading and installing, Right-click on the PDF file we unlocked and choose Open With… -> Foxit Reader.
Step 5: On the Foxit Reader interface, select the Home tab and choose the Select tool.
Step 6: Highlight the desired content and Right-click, then choose Copy (Ctrl + C).
Step 7: Now you can open other software to paste the copied content from the PDF file.
In this case, Software Tricks will paste it into Word for verification.
In this article, Software Tricks has guided you on the quickest and most effective way to copy content from a locked PDF file. Wish you success!