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How to Remove JavaScript From PDF File? Learn 5 Ways

  Rollins Duke
Rollins Duke   
Published: November 17th, 2025 • 8 Min Read

Learn how to remove JavaScript from PDF file with the help of our technical experts at BitRecover who have developed field-tested methods. Find all verified and proven manual methods by our team having years of experience, their limitations, and why you should prioritize to disable JavaScript in PDF documents.

PDFs can have embedded JavaScript that performs automatic actions, pop-up new windows, or run scripts without your knowledge, posing risks.

Table of Contents Hide
  1. Why Remove Script Code From PDFs
  2. How to Disable JavaScrit in PDF File?
  3. Why Choose the Suggested Solution?
  4. How to Remove JavaScript from PDF with Professional Tool?
  5. FAQs
  6. Conclusion

JavaScript in a PDF makes document easier to use or more interactive, but it comes with notable security and privacy risks. Removing JavaScript from PDF will help you avoid these risks and will help you open the PDF in a safe and predictable manner, without processing any code in the background.

Read this valuable resource to find out the best methods to remove Script Code from PDF while managing the disadvantage of manual removal methods with the solution that professionals prefer.

Why Disable JavaScript in PDF Documents?

According to the research team and technical specialists of BitRecover, there are a variety of reasons to remove JavaScript from PDF:

  • Defend your system from malicious scripts embedded in PDFs.
  • Protect yourself from automatic actions that might run without your knowledge.
  • Prevent scripts from opening pop-up windows, links, or downloading files.
  • Maintain PDF integrity and protect yourself from data theft.
  • View PDFs securely and in a way that is reasonably safe from interactivity.

How to Remove JavaScript from PDF File?

You can remove embedded JavaScript from PDF file using software like Adobe Acrobat Pro by editing the document’s properties or using an online service that offers to extract JavaScript from PDF. However, you require a pro version of Adobe Acrobat and online services are usually not safe.

The simplest and most professional method to disable JavaScript in PDF document is by using the dedicated PDF JavaScript Remover by BitRecover. The software can effortlessly strip JavaScript from PDF files. The automated third-party PDF JavaScript Remover is easy to use and provides a variety of advanced features.

1. Remove Embedded JavaScript from PDF File Using PDF Editor Software

The most common method is using a dedicated PDF editor like Adobe Acrobat Pro. However, you need a paid subscription of Adobe Acrobat which can be costly, to remove JavaScript from PDF file.

  1. Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
  2. Select File > Save As others > Optimized PDF.
  3. In the “Optimized PDF” dialog, on the left, select Discard Objects.
  4. Check the box for Discard all JavaScript actions.
  5. Click OK and then Save to either a new location or overwrite the original PDF.
  6. Alternatively, you could click on the Sanitize Document feature:
    • Open the PDF and select All Tools > Redact a PDF
    • In the Redact panel, select Sanitize Document.
    • A dialog will appear. Select the option to remove all JavaScript from PDF documents.

Limitations

  • Paid Subscription Required
  • Complex Interface
  • Risk of Data Loss
  • Time-Consuming for Multiple Files
  • Requires Installation

2. Disable JavaScript in PDF Using the “Print to PDF” Method

This process is compatible with most PDF viewers and web browsers and creates a new “flat” PDF copy with the active content removed.

  1. Open the PDF in your desired viewer or web browser.
  2. Select the Print option from the menu.
  3. In the print dialog, select the PDF printer option, for example “Microsoft Print to PDF” (Windows) or “Save as PDF” (Mac).
  4. Click Print (when prompted to save the new version).
  5. Your new PDF will be saved. The new version of PDF file will be without embedded JavaScript.

Limitations

  • Loss of Quality
  • Removes All Interactive Features
  • Manual Effort
  • No Verification Option
  • Not Suitable for Encrypted PDFs

3. Using Command-Line Tools or Programming Libraries

Automated or programmatic removal of JavaScript from PDF files can be done with tools and libraries.

Conversion Process: One option is to convert the PDF to PostScript, then convert back to PDF. This method will disable JavaScript in PDF documents because PostScript has no support for it.

Python Libraries: pyMuPDF or pdf-lib (Node.js support), among other libraries, contain methods to scrub (delete) PDF objects, including JavaScript entries.

Limitations

  • Requires Technical Knowledge
  • No GUI Support
  • Partial Removal Risk
  • Dependency Issues
  • Difficult for Bulk Processing

4. Remove JavaScript from a PDF File Using Online Services

  1. Visit to an online service that allows to remove embedded JavaScript from PDF documents.
  2. Add your PDF file.
  3. Then edit to remove Script Code from PDF File.
  4. Repeat the same process for each PDF file.

Limitations

  • Privacy Risk
  • File Size Limitations
  • Limited Control
  • Requires Internet Connection
  • Ads or Malware Risks

5. Automated Solution to Remove All JavaScript from PDF in Bulk with Ease

If you’re tired of going through complicated manual steps or putting your data at risk by applying untrustworthy online tools, the BitRecover PDF Buddy Wizard is for you. The secure and fast tool has been tested in real-world environments to remove script code from a PDF file, while keeping all formatting and interactive elements safe and all at once in bulk.

Whether it be an individual page or a bulk of PDF files, it removes JavaScript from PDF smoothly, quickly, securely, with no coding, a paid Adobe subscription, or uploading anything to the internet.

Download Now Purchase Now

Why Choose the Expert’s Suggested Solution?

  • The software is trusted by millions of users globally.
  • Millions of industry professionals use it to manage PDF files.
  • With this offline PDF JavaScript Remover, your data will remain secured through AES-256 encryption.
  • Bulk remove JavaScript from numerous PDF files.
  • Keeps your formatting, text and images while removing the scripts.
  • It is simple to use. Just add your files and click “start.”
  • Will work on all Windows OS versions including the latest releases.
  • Extract JavaScript from PDFs instantly, there will be no errors and no data loss.

How to Remove Embedded JavaScript from PDF with Professional Tool?

  1. Install and open the PDF JavaScript Remover, and read the guidelines listed on it. After that, click on the Next button to disable JavaScript in PDF documents.
    get the solution
  2. Now, select the “Add File” or “Add Folder” option in order to upload the PDF file to the software dashboard.
    add pdfs
  3. Next, the wizard will list all the PDF files in hierarchical order. Users can select required files to remove JavaScript from PDF.
    select pdfs
  4. Afterward, users must opt for the designation path, select the export option per requirement, and click on the “Start Button” for good.
    remove JavaScript from PDF

It’s all about the automated solution to remove embedded JavaScript from PDF. Also, users can perform this task using Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Print to PDF.

FAQs: Strip JavaScript from PDFs

Q 1. How to Turn Off JavaScript in PDF Documents?

Answer: To disable or turn off JavaScript in PDF documents, users have options whether to use Adobe Acrobat or Automated PDF JavaScript Remover discussed above.

Q 2. How to Disable JavaScript in Acrobat?

In adobe and adobe reader, users can disable the JavaScript using the preferences settings and have different options to manage script functioning.

Q 3. Should I Disable JavaScript in PDF?

To prevent your data from being damaged, you must disable or remove JavaScript from PDF format as a temporary measure to avoid external security attacks.

Q 4. Why is JavaScript in PDF?

JavaScript in PDF is generally added to enhance the interactive features of the document such as destruction features, forms, calculations, and pop-up messages.

Q 5: How do I remove an embedded script from a PDF?

A PDF editor or a specialized tool that removes JavaScript can remove an embedded script from your PDF.

Q 6: How do I remove code from a PDF file?

To remove code from a PDF, open the file in a PDF editor and delete the JavaScript or embedded actions.

Q 7: Why disable JavaScript in Adobe?

Disable JavaScript in Adobe to avoid malicious scripts and security risks to your system.

Q 8: Is there a way to delete all JavaScript from the PDF?

Yes, using the dedicated PDF JavaScript Remover offered by BitRecover, you can easily remove all JavaScript from PDF files in bulk.

Conclusion

This guide explains how to remove JavaScript from PDF files. We examined tested manual methods, and discuss drawbacks of removing scripts in a PDF manually (complexity, data loss, and privacy). We also present and review the Trusted BitRecover tool, an Efficient and secure solution recommended by professionals that enables users to remove scripts from PDFs easily and in bulk. The PDF JavaScript Removercan be downloaded and installed on any computer, and you’ll be able to Successfully delete JavaScript from PDF with your information remaining secure and your documents readable.


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