I prepared a deposit but the endorsed signature on the back doesn't match the account signature on file and the deposi…
Open the PDF document containing the digital signature you want to validate.
If prompted, enable all necessary trust settings for the certificate authority used by the signature.
CautionIf the certificate is not trusted, Acrobat may not be able to validate the signature correctly.
Look for the Signatures panel on the right side, or click on the signature field in the document to open the signature details.
In the Signatures panel or details dialog, review the signature status message to check if the signature is still valid after document changes.
NoteAcrobat will indicate if the document was modified after signing and whether the changes are permitted (such as filling in forms or adding approved annotations) or if the signature was invalidated by unauthorized edits.
Expand the signature properties to view the list of changes made after signing, if any.
Best practiceClicking 'View Signed Version' lets you compare the signed state to the current version to see exactly what changed.
Confirm whether the signature remains valid or has been invalidated by edits, as indicated by Acrobat.
You can quickly check if a signature is still valid after changes by opening the signature panel and reviewing the status message.
This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.
A digital signature is like a secure electronic fingerprint. It confirms the signer's identity and ensures the document has not been changed after signing. Its validity matters because it proves the document's authenticity and integrity. If a signature is not valid, it means there might be a problem with the signer's identity or the document itself, which can have legal implications.
A red 'X' on a digital signature usually means the signature is not valid or has problems. This could be because the signer's certificate is not trusted, or the document has been changed after signing. You should click on the signature and check the validation details to understand the specific issue and decide if you can trust the document.
Trust is important because it tells you if you can rely on the identity of the person who signed the document. If your system trusts the signer's certificate, it means it believes the signature is real and from a known source. You can manage trusted identities in Adobe Acrobat by going to 'Edit' > 'Preferences' > 'Signatures' > 'Trusted Identities' to add or remove trusted certificates.
Verifying a signature generally means checking who signed it and if the signature is present. Validating a signature goes deeper. It checks if the signature is still trustworthy, if the signer's certificate is valid, and if the document has been changed since it was signed. Validation gives a complete picture of the signature's integrity and authenticity, ensuring long-term reliability.