What is the difference between an electronic signature and a digital signature?

Feature Electronic Signature Digital Signature. Proof Level Limited proof of intent Strong, non-repudiation (PKI-backed) Legal Weight Equivalent to handwritten (US/EU) Legally equal to wet signature (EU QES) Technology Basic intent Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

How do I make sure my e-signature meets legal requirements in the EU?

Understand eIDAS: The EU's eIDAS regulation defines three levels: Simple, Advanced (AdES), and Qualified (QES). Choose QES for highest security: For the strongest legal standing, equal to a handwritten signature, choose a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES). Use Acrobat Sign: Adobe Acrobat Sign helps you meet eIDAS standards by providing options for different signature levels and creating the necessary audit trails. Check compliance: Refer to Adobe's official eIDAS compliance white paper for detailed guidance on how Acrobat Sign supports these requirements.

Ensure Secure E-Signing in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one

AExecute — “help me do it”Oversee the rollout of firm e‑signature permissions: configure who can send bulk signature…+

Oversee the rollout of firm e‑signature permissions: configure who can send bulk signature requests, assign admin roles to [admin=Jana Patel], and publish instructions to attorneys so they can send documents securely and compliantly.

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

BImprove — “do it better”Make the e‑signature rollout adoption‑ready: define sender and approver permission tiers, pilot…+

Make the e‑signature rollout adoption‑ready: define sender and approver permission tiers, pilot bulk sending with [pilot=Jana Patel] and two partners, create a short cheat sheet on compliance and retention practices, and schedule a 30‑minute training for attorneys next Tuesday.

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 the PDF you want to certify in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
2
Go to the Tools pane and select Certificates.
3
In the Certificates toolbar, click Digitally Sign.
4
Draw a rectangle in the document where you want the signature to appear.
5
In the dialog that appears, select your digital ID (certificate) from the list.
6
Choose Certify with Visible Signature (or similar option) to ensure the signature is a certification signature, not just an approval signature.
CautionCertification signatures can restrict further changes to the document; choose the correct restrictions for your compliance needs.
7
Set the permitted actions after certifying (for example, 'No changes allowed' or 'Form fill-in and signing').
8
Click Sign and, if prompted, enter your digital ID password.
9
Save the certified PDF to finalize the certification signature.
Best practiceFor maximum legal defensibility, use a digital ID issued by a trusted Certificate Authority rather than a self-signed certificate.

In the appWith the API

You can verify the certification status and permitted actions by clicking the signature panel in the left navigation pane after signing.

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

Glossary

words on this page

Electronic SignatureA basic way to show you agree to something online, like typing your name.ExampleYou click an 'I Agree' button and your name is recorded as your electronic signature.

Digital SignatureAn electronic mark on a document that proves who signed it and that the document has not changed.ExampleA digital signature on your tax return confirms you submitted it and that its contents are unchanged.

Audit TrailA record of all actions taken on a document, like who signed and when.ExampleThe audit trail showed that the document was signed by three different people last Tuesday.

Who does this

3 roles

Compliance OfficerLegal CounselRecords Manager

FAQ

about this task

Feature	Electronic Signature	Digital Signature
Proof Level	Limited proof of intent	Strong, non-repudiation (PKI-backed)
Legal Weight	Equivalent to handwritten (US/EU)	Legally equal to wet signature (EU QES)
Technology	Basic intent	Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)

An audit trail is very important because it provides court-ready proof that your e-signature is real and valid. It records details like the signer's IP address, device, timestamps, and cryptographic hashes. This information acts as strong evidence if there's ever a legal challenge about the signature's authenticity or the document's integrity.

Understand eIDAS: The EU's eIDAS regulation defines three levels: Simple, Advanced (AdES), and Qualified (QES).
Choose QES for highest security: For the strongest legal standing, equal to a handwritten signature, choose a Qualified Electronic Signature (QES).
Use Acrobat Sign: Adobe Acrobat Sign helps you meet eIDAS standards by providing options for different signature levels and creating the necessary audit trails.
Check compliance: Refer to Adobe's official eIDAS compliance white paper for detailed guidance on how Acrobat Sign supports these requirements.

A Qualified Electronic Signature (QES) is the highest level of electronic signature defined by the EU's eIDAS regulation. It is legally equivalent to a handwritten signature. You should use a QES for high-stakes transactions, such as signing property deeds, major financial agreements, or any document where the highest level of legal certainty and non-repudiation is absolutely critical. It requires a qualified certificate and a secure signature creation device.

If you need court-ready proof for a signed document, you should present the PDF with the appended 'certificate of completion' or 'audit trail' from Adobe Acrobat Sign. This document includes all the critical details like IP addresses, device information, timestamps, and cryptographic hashes, which serve as strong evidence of the signature's validity and the document's integrity. Ensure this report is always attached to your signed PDF for easy access.

Ensure Secure E-Signing

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

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