How to Allow Shorter PDF Passwords in Adobe Acrobat DC (Windows)

How to Allow Shorter PDF Passwords in Adobe Acrobat DC (Windows)

By default, Adobe Acrobat DC enforces a minimum password length of six characters when applying password protection to PDFs. In environments where shorter passwords are required (for compatibility with legacy systems or automation), this setting can be overridden using the Windows Registry.

⚠️ Note: Modifying the Windows Registry can affect system behavior. Proceed with caution and always back up the registry before making changes.

Steps to Enable Short Passwords in Acrobat DC

1. Close Acrobat

Make sure Adobe Acrobat DC is not running before proceeding.

2. Open the Windows Registry Editor

• Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog

• Type: regedit.exe and press Enter

• Click Yes if prompted by User Account Control

3. Navigate to the Correct Registry Path

Choose the path based on your Acrobat DC version:

• For 64-bit Acrobat DC:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureState
  

• For 32-bit Acrobat DC on 64-bit Windows:

  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureState
  

If the FeatureState key does not exist, right-click the parent folder, select New > Key, and name it FeatureState.

4. Create the DWORD Value

• In the FeatureState key, right-click the right pane

• Choose New > DWORD (32-bit) Value

• Name it: bDisableMinPasswordLen

5. Set the Value

• Double-click the new DWORD value

• Set Value data to: 1

• Click OK

6. Close the Registry Editor

Once the change is applied, Acrobat DC will now allow PDF passwords shorter than six characters.

Adobe Acrobat DC 32-Bit

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureState] "bDisableMinPasswordLen"=dword:00000001

Adobe Acrobat DC 64-Bit

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Adobe\Adobe Acrobat\DC\FeatureState] "bDisableMinPasswordLen"=dword:00000001

Final Notes

• This change only affects the local machine where it is applied.

• If Acrobat DC is deployed via Intune or GPO, you can use this as part of a registry deployment script.

• Restart Acrobat if it was open before the change.