Download DecryptPDFs
DecryptPDFs finds password-protected PDF files in any folder and removes their protection in bulk. The user selects a directory, and the program scans every PDF inside it, including subfolders if needed. All learned passwords are stored locally with Windows DPAPI encryption tied to the user account. No network calls are made, and no data leaves the machine.
DecryptPDFs includes a password manager that saves every successful password automatically. During subsequent scans, stored passwords are tried in order of past success. The program can remove permission restrictions such as copy or print blocks. Output files can replace originals or be saved with custom prefixes and suffixes.
Installation adds right-click and Send to Explorer integration for quick access to selected PDF files. The installer requires no administrator privileges. The program runs on Windows and processes batches of files with a live progress indicator. A manual stop command is available during long operations.
Use Cases for DecryptPDFs
| Walk through folder and subfolders to find PDFs | Build complete document list without manual file adding |
| Select multiple PDFs from any location for processing | Apply same decryption rules to entire batch automatically |
| Store successful passwords automatically for future attempts | Password becomes available without separate save step |
| Try most successful passwords first during decryption | Reduce average waiting time by ordering stored credentials |
| Encrypt saved passwords with Windows Data Protection API | Keep credentials tied to current user account only |
| Require Windows login confirmation to view passwords | Unlock manager with password, PIN, or Windows Hello |
| Show saved passwords as hidden asterisks by default | Protect sensitive data from shoulder surfing or screen sharing |
| Remove printing, copying, or editing limits from PDFs | Unlock restricted files even without open password |
| Replace original encrypted PDFs or create renamed copies | Keep originals untouched with prefix or suffix output |
| Status bar shows current file and overall progress | See encrypted files, tried passwords, and decrypted results |
| Press S key to stop batch at next safe point | Keep already decrypted files and report completed list |
| Install without administrator rights on locked systems | Write only to user registry for corporate environments |