---
name: "pdfcrack"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "pdfcrack"
version: "0.21-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pdfcrack"
---

# pdfcrack(1)

Password recovery tool for PDF-files

## NAME

pdfcrack - Password recovery tool for PDF-files

## SYNOPSIS

**pdfcrack** \[ **-f** \] FILE \[*OPTION*\]...

## DESCRIPTION

**PDFCrack** is a tool for recovering passwords and content from PDF-files.

If aborted with Ctrl-C or by receiving a SIGINT signal, **pdfcrack** will automatically save current position. The position will be saved in a file called **savedstate.sav** in current working directory.

Mandatory arguments for long options are mandatory for short options too.

## OPTIONS

- **-b**, **--bench**

  perform benchmark and exit

- **-c**, **--charset=***STRING*

  Use the characters in *STRING* as charset

- **-w**, **--wordlist=***FILE*

  Use *FILE* as source of passwords to try

- **-n**, **--minpw=***INTEGER*

  Skip trying passwords shorter than *INTEGER*

- **-m**, **--maxpw=***INTEGER*

  Stop when reaching this *INTEGER* passwordlength

- **-l**, **--loadstate=***FILE*

  Continue from the state saved in *FILE*

- **-o**, **--owner**

  Work with the ownerpassword

- **-u**, **--user**

  Work with the userpassword (default)

- **-p**, **--password=***STRING*

  Give userpassword to speed up breaking ownerpassword (implies **-o**)

- **-q**, **--quiet**

  Run quietly

- **-s**, **--permutate**

  Try permutating the passwords (currently only supports switching first character to uppercase)

- **-v**, **--version**

  Print version and exit

## REPORTING BUGS

Via e-mail to Henning Noren \<confusion42@users.sourceforge.net\> or report on project page at http://pdfcrack.sourceforge.net/

## AUTHOR

Henning Noren

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2009 Henning Noren \<confusion42@users.sourceforge.net\>\
 This is free software.  You may redistribute copies of it under the terms of the GNU General Public License \<http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html\>. There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.