Fix "Editing of This Document Is Not Permitted" PDF Error
"Editing not permitted" means the PDF has editing restrictions set. Here's how to identify what's locked, whether you can legitimately unlock it, and how to edit the content if you need to.
"Editing of this document is not permitted" means the PDF has an owner-level restriction that disables editing in Adobe Acrobat and other editors that respect permission flags. This is different from a user/open password — the document opens fine, but editing tools are greyed out. Understanding the distinction guides you to the right fix.
Understanding Edit vs Open Restrictions
PDF permissions are set by an "owner password" that controls what users can do with an open document — print, copy text, edit, fill forms, annotate, assemble. The document itself is readable without entering any password; only certain operations are restricted. This is fundamentally different from an "open password" (which encrypts content and requires a password just to view). For editing restrictions: Adobe Acrobat and Acrobat Pro respect the edit restriction flag. However, many third-party editors (LibreOffice, online editors, some PDF tools) do not enforce these flags and will let you edit regardless.
Check Exactly What Permissions Are Restricted
In Adobe Reader: File → Properties → Security tab → Document Restrictions Summary. Note which specific operations are blocked: "Content Copying: Not Allowed," "Document Assembly: Not Allowed," "Changing the Document: Not Allowed." This tells you exactly what the owner password restricted. If "Filling of form fields: Allowed" is shown, you can still fill the form even if you can't edit the base document.
Fix 1 — Remove Restrictions With FixMyPDF (If You're the Owner)
If you created this document and set the editing restriction yourself (or inherited a document you're now maintaining), FixMyPDF's unlock tool removes all owner-level permission restrictions. Upload the PDF, and the tool processes it locally in your browser. The output has no restrictions — fully editable, printable, and copyable. This works on PDFs where the restriction is owner-password only, without a user/open password.
Fix 2 — Open and Edit in LibreOffice
LibreOffice Draw doesn't enforce PDF editing restrictions. Open the PDF in LibreOffice Draw (File → Open, select the PDF), make your edits, and re-export as PDF (File → Export as PDF). Note that LibreOffice imports PDFs as editable objects — text may reflow slightly, and complex layouts may shift. This approach is best for simple edits (changing a number, adding text). For complex layout changes, working from the original source document is preferable.
Fix 3 — Use the Comment/Annotation Tools (Still Available)
Even on editing-locked PDFs, Adobe Reader's comment and annotation tools are usually still available (unless the "Commenting: Not Allowed" restriction is also set). Click Tools → Comment in Adobe Reader. You can add text boxes, highlight, cross out text, add sticky notes, and draw shapes on top of the locked content. For most practical "editing" needs — marking corrections, adding notes, filling in information — annotations work just as well as actual editing and don't require unlocking the document.
Try Unlock PDF Now — Free
Browser-based, private, and instant. No account or software required.
Open Unlock PDF