Kindle Fire: How to Open Password Protected PDF Files

If you try to open a password protected PDF file on the Amazon Kindle Fire, you will likely see an error message that says…

Invalid Item — This item is protected with DRM and cannot be read on your Kindle. Please remove the item from your device and download it again or purchase a copy from the Kindle Store.

There are two possible reasons why this may occur.

1. The file is DRM protected and can only be opened using a specific Amazon account, device, or app.
2. The file is password protected.

If your problem is related to #1, your only option would be to use the file only in the environment it was created for. Ensure you are using the correct Amazon account with your device or the correct app to read the file. Example: Files transferred from your iPhone or iPad may not work on the Kindle Fire.

If your issue is related to #2, follow the steps below.

To be able to open and read password protected PDF files, you’ll need a third party application that opens password protected PDF files like qPDF. Download and install the qPDF app from the Amazon Appstore, then use it to open the PDF file by tapping the folder in the lower-left part of the screen. Once you select the document, you should be prompted to enter the password and be able to access it.