How to open a password-protected PDF on a Mac
Banks, payroll systems and tax offices lock PDFs with passwords made from your personal details. Here's how to open them quickly, and how to stop typing the same password every month.
In short: To open a password-protected PDF on a Mac, double-click it and type the password in Preview. To save a copy without the password, or to open many statements at once, drag them onto Sheaf and choose Unlock: Sheaf builds the password from details you saved, such as a PAN or National Insurance number and date of birth, and saves unlocked copies. It only opens files you can supply the details for; it does not crack passwords.
Updated 9 November 2026
With Sheaf
- Start dragging the locked PDFs, pause and choose Unlock.
- Add the client: name, ID number, date of birth, customer IDs and mobile number, whatever you know.
- Sheaf tries the patterns banks, payroll systems and tax offices use, and shows whose details opened each file.
- Choose Save Unlocked Copy. The copy opens without a password; the original stays locked.
Common password formats
| Document | Usual password | Example |
|---|---|---|
| India: AIS (Income Tax) | PAN in lowercase + date of birth DDMMYYYY | abcde1234f05041990 |
| India: Form 26AS | Date of birth DDMMYYYY | 05041990 |
| India: many bank statements | First 4 letters of the name + DDMM, or customer ID | rame0504 |
| UK payslips (varies by payroll software) | Last 4 characters of the NI number, initials + DDMMYY, or surname + NI | 456C, JS050490 |
| Singapore | Last 4 of NRIC + DDMMYY, or DDMonYYYY + last 4 | 234A010183 |
| US documents | Often a date of birth MMDDYYYY or the last 4 of the SSN | 07041985 |
Formats change; the email that delivered your document usually says which one applies.
With Preview
- Open the PDF and enter the password.
- Choose File › Export as PDF. Preview may keep the password, so check the copy.
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Questions
Can Sheaf open a PDF without the password?
No. Sheaf only tries passwords made from details you enter and passwords you've saved. It does not break PDF encryption.
Where are the saved details kept?
In this Mac's keychain, never uploaded or synced.
What is the password for an AIS PDF?
Your PAN in lowercase followed by your date of birth as DDMMYYYY, for example abcde1234f05041990.