Easy Methods to Delete Digital Signature From PDF Document
The Portable Document file format is mainly known for its security purpose. The user can add the password in a PDF document and add restrictions so that only authorized persons could view it. But not only permission password restricts a user to make any modifications but also, the digital signature would make a signed PDF file not editable. A digital signature is like a conventional handwritten signature, identifies a person signing a file or document. It is very difficult to forge a digital signature as it contains encrypted information which is signed by the signer and easily verified. It contains a password and is stored in your system as PKCS #12 file format also known as PFX format ( Personal Exchange Information File). In this blog, we will discuss what are the various needs to remove digital signature and the manual solutions to delete digital signature from PDF files.
What Are Various Needs to Remove Digital Signature From PDF?
There are various reasons to delete signature from PDF files. Also, there are multiple scenarios demanding to clear digital signature from PDF some of them are listed below-
” I have just forgotten my digital signature password and I don’t have much technical knowledge. And I need to access my PDF file. Is there any tool which can clear signatures from PDF files?
” I am working in one of a Multinational Company and I need to send a PDF file to my colleagues but the PDF file contains the digital signature and I have lost its password. Suggest me some utility which can help me erase signature on PDF?.”
Method#1 Manual Solution to Delete Digital Signature from PDF Document
If a user has created the PDF file in Adobe Acrobat and it contains all the required passwords. And if he wants to remove digital signature from PDF, then it can be easily done using the Delete option. For this user should have a Digital ID for signing. In order to perform deletion user should follow some useful steps which are given below-
- First, open a PDF document
- Then, go to Tools
- Click Content
- After that user should select Object
- Click on the Signature field
- And click Delete Key
Method#2 Manual Solution to Clear Signatures From PDF Documents
First, you need to find out whether the digital signature is applied when the PDF file was created, If the signature is applied when a file is created then the user has to find the signature field and delete the value. If a digital signature is added after the creation of a PDF document, then the user should go back to the previous version of the PDF file in order to clear the digital signature PDF. If a file contains more than one signature then a user would be able to remove the most recent signature, so that other available signatures won’t affect. To remove the most recent digital signature you have to revert back to the version before this most recent signature is applied. If a user wishes to erase an older signature then he/she needs to delete all counter signatures that were applied after.
Limitations of Manual Approach
By using a manual solution, we can delete signature from PDF. But with this solution users would not be able to delete digital signature from PDF files in batches. Due to this reason, this method fails and there is a need for an alternative solution which could easily remove digital signatures from multiple PDF files.
Refer this post removing restrictions from PDF files: Remove PDF File Password Protection – Easy Solutions
Reliable Solution to Delete Digital Signature from PDF Document
The manual method fails when we want to delete signature from PDF files. To overcome these drawbacks user is suggested to use the advanced and smart watermark remover tool for PDFs. This tool is capable enough to remove digital signature from PDF in batches. One of the best facilities that it provides is that it can also bulk remove signatures from secured PDF files. This tool is highly efficient and easy to use. it provides the option to remove signatures, texts, drafts, images etc. from multiple PDF files.
Now, Let’s look into the process and tool steps used to clear signatures from PDF in lesser time…
Tool Working – Step-By-Step Process Explained
1: Firstly the users have to Download and Install the tool to erase signs from PDF documents.
2: Now insert the PDF files. Enter the password for secured PDF files, or else proceed to the next step.
3: Now, choose the option to either Save or Print the PDF files without signatures and set the destination folder to save the PDF files.
4: Then, use the Preview option to view PDF files before generating Outputs. Finally after completing the final checks press the Remove button to clear signatures from PDF files.
Also Read: Solve the Error “PDF File is Damaged and Cannot be Repaired”
Conclusion
As we know that PDF file format is highly secure and it is considered the safest place that can store all your information, images and files. In PDF files we can add digital signatures and watermarks also for security reasons. But sometimes we need to remove digital signature from PDF. So, this article completely explains the different approaches that can be used to delete digital signature from PDF document. We have also seen manual solutions but, it fails to work. Therefore, we require an automated tool which can easily overcome all drawbacks of a manual approach. We have explained the automated solution with its workings. The utility is so easy and simple to use that even non-technical users can use it.