PDF Files Automatically Locked When Password Never Set

[bobe2]

I have been working on and editing PDF files using Preview. I save my work as normal without encrypting the file. When I go back to open the files, it says the file is encrypted and need a password. I never set a password. The original file owner also never set a password or encrypted the files.
I tried opening the files using Acrobat, but it also asks for a password.
Why did this happen? How can I stop this from happening again?

 

[Cory Cooper]

Hello and welcome.

• Which version of OS X/macOS?
• How/what are you editing in the PDF files?
• Where are they stored?

C

 

[bobe2]

Hello and thank you for your reply.

[*]Which version of OS X/macOS?
I am using Monterey 12

[*]How/what are you editing in the PDF files?
I was editing the files online, also using Preview.

[*]Where are they stored?
The files are stored on my Mac hard drive and an external hard drive.

It doesn’t seem to be doing it now, I have started to edit them in Acrobat.

If you can shed some light on why this happened and how I can stop it from happening again would be great.

Thank you

 

[bobe2]

*]How/what are you editing in the PDF files?
The files are forms that have blank spaces to be filled in