I keep finding later edits to final plans that undermine our advice. Across the last 12 plans, explain how version con…
Open the Adobe Admin Console and sign in with your administrator credentials.
Navigate to the Products section and select your Acrobat deployment.
Access the policies or settings area for Acrobat configuration.
Locate the policy or setting related to document signatures or digital signatures.
Enable the option to require certificate-based digital signatures for PDF documents.
CautionUsers will be unable to finalize documents without applying a valid certificate-based digital signature.
If available, configure additional signature requirements (such as approved certificate authorities or signature appearance) according to your organization's security policy.
RecommendationRestricting to trusted certificate authorities enhances security and compliance.
Save and apply the updated policy to all relevant user groups or devices.
Notify users of the new digital signature requirement and provide instructions for obtaining and installing approved certificates.
Best practiceBLOGS recommend sending a step-by-step guide to users on how to request and install their digital ID to reduce support requests.
Admins can enforce digital signature requirements across all users by configuring policies in the Admin Console or via enterprise deployment tools.
This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.
| Feature | Regular Digital Signature | Certified Digital Signature |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Proves signer's identity | Proves identity AND prevents changes |
| Edits after signing | Can still be edited (with warnings) | Cannot be edited without breaking certification |
| Application | Can be added to any PDF | Can only be added to a PDF with no other signatures |
The 'Certify' option is likely grayed out because your PDF already has other signatures applied to it. The certification feature can only be used on a PDF that has no other signatures. To certify, you need to start with a fresh document that has not been signed yet.
A Digital ID is your personal electronic proof of identity, like a digital passport. It contains a private key that you use to create your unique digital signature. You need it to certify a PDF because it links the certification directly to you, proving who made the document final and unchangeable.
Yes, you can automate this for organizational use through the Adobe PDF Electronic Seal API. This API allows you to apply digital seals to PDFs, which is similar to certification but for an organization rather than an individual. You can supply your organization's certificate credentials, a seal image, and its placement coordinates. This is useful for large-scale document processing and ensuring compliance.