Adobe's own guide treats removing a PDF password and later re-adding protection as two separate steps: remove security first, then use the Protect/Encrypt tool again to set a new password after editing. How to remove password from PDF: Unlock a PDF | Adobe Acrobat
Unlock PDFRemove Password From PDF To Edit Then Add It Back
The Unlock PDF tool runs qpdf --decrypt, which writes a plain, unencrypted PDF to the output path so the file can be opened or edited elsewhere without a password.
Upload the protected PDF file to the Unlock PDF form.
Enter the PDF's current password into the form to remove that existing security layer entirely.
Download the decrypted PDF file from the results screen.
Editing the Decrypted PDF File
Open the downloaded PDF in your preferred editing application.
Make whatever changes the document actually needs at this point.
Save the edited file to your local device.
Re-Protecting the Edited PDF
Re-adding password protection is handled by the separate Protect PDF tool, which runs qpdf --encrypt with a new password rather than being part of Unlock PDF itself.
Upload the edited PDF to the Protect PDF form.
Set a brand new password on the Protect PDF form to secure that document again.
Download the re-protected PDF file.
Continue with Unlock PDF Wrong Password Retry or Unlock PDF Temp File Privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions about Remove PDF Password to Edit and Re-Protect
Can I skip straight from editing to a new password?
Search for the separate Protect PDF page once editing finishes.
Does the original password still work afterward?
Pick a password that differs from the one you just removed.
What if my editor cannot open the decrypted file?
Try a different PDF editor that accepts a plain, unencrypted file.
How do I keep the two steps organized?
Rename the file after each step to track its current state.