How do I create an Action Wizard to add a digital signature to many PDFs?

Go to 'All tools' > 'Use Action Wizard' > 'New Action'. Add the 'Sign' task to your action. Set the signature to use your digital ID and auto-enter passwords. Choose to apply this action to a folder of PDFs. Run the action to sign all documents automatically.

Automate Release Approvals in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Set up the bulk signing workflow for 120 release approvals, upload the CSV of signers, prepare…+

Set up the bulk signing workflow for 120 release approvals, upload the CSV of signers, prepare the batch e-signature request, and note the expected completion date for the editorial director.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

BImprove — “do it better”Before launching bulk sign-off, validate the CSV for correct email fields and signing order,…+

Before launching bulk sign-off, validate the CSV for correct email fields and signing order, attach a one-line guidance for signers about mandatory fields, and flag any signers who need delegated approval so the legal team can pre-clear.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open Adobe Acrobat.
2
Select Tools in the main toolbar.
3
Scroll to or search for Action Wizard and select it.
4
Click Create New Action to start creating a new automated workflow.
5
From the list of available actions, select a basic operation such as Save, Print, or Remove Hidden Information and add it to your action by clicking the plus sign or dragging it to the right pane.
6
Optionally, adjust the settings for the selected action in the right pane as needed.
7
Click Save and enter a name for your new action.
8
To run the action, select it from the Action Wizard list and follow the on-screen prompts to select files and execute the workflow.
Best practiceYou can batch process multiple PDFs with a single action to save time, as recommended by experienced users in productivity blogs.

In the appWith the API

You can reuse your saved action any time from the Action Wizard panel to quickly repeat the same steps on new documents.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

Action WizardA tool in Adobe Acrobat that lets you set up steps for Acrobat to do automatically.ExampleYou use the Action Wizard to automatically add watermarks and security to all your outgoing PDFs.

Digital IDA secure electronic identity used to sign documents or unlock protected files.ExampleYou use your digital ID to securely sign into the company's online portal.

Batch processDoing the same task on many files at the same time, instead of one by one.ExampleBatch process lets you watermark 20 photos with your company logo simultaneously.

Who does this

3 roles

Document SpecialistRecords ManagerLegal Assistant

FAQ

about this task

Go to 'All tools' > 'Use Action Wizard' > 'New Action'.
Add the 'Sign' task to your action.
Set the signature to use your digital ID and auto-enter passwords.
Choose to apply this action to a folder of PDFs.
Run the action to sign all documents automatically.

Action Wizard is a feature in Acrobat Pro that lets you record a series of steps and then run them automatically. It is useful because it saves time by doing repeated tasks for you, like adding watermarks, converting files, or applying security settings to many documents at once, making your document workflows faster and more consistent.

If your Action Wizard is slow or crashing, you might be trying to process too many files in one go. Action Wizard works best with smaller batches. Try to limit your runs to about 100-200 files at a time. If you have many more, split them into smaller groups. This helps prevent resource leaks and serious slowdowns that can happen with very large batches.

No, Action Wizard cannot be controlled from a command line or integrated with other systems by itself. Acrobat Pro does not offer this feature natively. If you need to automate Action Wizard from outside the application, you would need to find and use a third-party plugin that adds this specific capability.

JavaScript steps in an Action Wizard can sometimes fail without telling you. This means they might not do anything, or 'no-op', silently. Always test your JavaScript steps carefully within your action to make sure they are working as expected. Do not assume they will always run correctly, especially in complex actions.

Automate Release Approvals

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

When it fails