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Home / Blog / Approaches to Remove Signature from PDF [Newest]

Approaches to Remove Signature from PDF [Newest]

By Roche | Follow twitter | Updated on March 23, 2023 | Deutsch Français
Introduction:
We all know that it is easy to create and add signatures to PDFs, but what if the signee forgets about the digital signature password or signs in the wrong place? It is imperative to know how to erase or delete digital signatures from this PDF in such a situation. Otherwise, one cannot make any edits to the PDF document. Let's go into detail about how to remove signature from PDF.
summary

When we refer to a PDF signature in this post, it actually stands for a digital signature instead of an electronic signature. Reasons? A PDF digital signature enjoys higher security than an electronic signature as it encrypts the document and permanently embeds the information in the PDF document. With a digital signature, no one can randomly edit your PDF.

Once a user attempts to make any changes to the document, the digital signature will be immediately invalidated. Then, without so many PDF signature removers, how do we remove someone else’s signature from PDF? Check out the following PDF signature removers

Desktop PDF Signature Remover (for Windows)

In this section, we will only introduce two methods to remove a digital signature from a PDF. So having access to this PDF document becomes much more manageable.

SwifDoo PDF

SwifDoo PDF is a powerful PDF program that can perform multiple PDF conversion tasks. Users can convert their protected PDFs to Word files, delete the digital signature from the PDF, and save the Word document as a PDF again. Here are the details of removing a digital signature from the PDF:

Step 1: Download and install SwifDoo PDF on your PC, then launch the PDF program;

Step 2: Open a PDF document protected by a digital signature;

Step 3: Click PDF to Word on the tab Convert;

Convert PDF to Word to remove digital signatures

Step 4: Open the converted Word document and remove the signature manually;

Step 5: Save the Word document as a PDF by clicking Export as PDF in the File tab in Microsoft Office.

It is an applicable method to delete your digital signature from the PDF. However, SwifDoo PDF now only allows for adding an electronic signature to your PDF (rather than a digital signature). That’s why users cannot clear the digital signature directly.

If you ever electronically sign a PDF document and want to remove it from the current document, it's a cinch. An electronic signature is actually an image placed on the text layer. Here's how SwifDoo PDF deletes an electronic signature from a PDF.

Step 1: Right-click on the electronic signature in your PDF document;

Delete an e-signature from a PDF in SwifDoo PDF

Step 2: Select Delete to clear this e-signature from your file.

How to Edit A Signed PDF [Quick Answers]

How to Edit A Signed PDF [Quick Answers]

Do you want to know the method to edit PDFs with signatures? Join the discussion below to see how to edit a signed PDF online and offline.

READ MORE >

Soda PDF

Soda PDF is an all-in-one PDF program, while at the same time, it can be a good PDF signature remover if you know how to make full use of it. This Windows desktop PDF program can tackle different sorts of PDF signatures, including digital signatures, certificate signatures, and validated ones. When it comes to deleting a digital signature from a PDF document, Soda PDF makes the whole process simpler:

Clear a digital signature from a PDF in Soda PDF

Step 1: Open a PDF protected by a digital signature. Right-click on the digital signature;

Step 2: Select Clear Signature;

Step 3: Save the PDF document.

If you need to add a new digital signature to the current PDF, double-click the signature box to continue creating a new one right after removing the former signature from this PDF.

How to delete a digital signature from a PDF in Soda PDF

When your PDF happens to contain a digital signature field and you need to erase the field box, just right-click on the area and choose “Delete” to remove this signature field from a fillable PDF form permanently.

How to delete an electronic-signature from a PDF

If you want to remove an electronic signature from the current PDF file, place your cursor on the e-signature and click “Cut” to get rid of this mark from your PDF.

Tips: Once you add a digital signature to a PDF, you cannot undo this action. Make sure you create the correct signature in the right place. The only way to remove digital signatures is to use professional PDF programs.

How to Remove Signature from PDF on Mac

Even with the built-in PDF viewer Preview on Mac devices, removing a digital signature from a PDF appears to be more difficult. Still, we came up with a feasible solution: Adobe Acrobat.

Adobe Acrobat

As Adobe is available both on Windows and Mac, Mac users can expect this comprehensive PDF program to remove their digital signatures from PDFs. Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Open a PDF protected by a digital signature in Preview;

Step 2: Navigate to Preferences, then choose Signatures;

Step 3: Click on Identities & Trusted Certificates, then select More;

Step 4: Select Digital ID Files and choose Detach File.

You can only delete self-signed digital IDs that you created in Acrobat. A digital ID obtained from another provider cannot be deleted from the PDF.

Online PDF Signature Remover

This industry has some remarkable online PDF signature removers, and AvePDF is one of them that impresses me deeply. This is a totally free tool to use. If you need to clear signatures from PDFs, just give it a try.

AvePDF

AvePDF is a strongly recommended digital signature remover. Don't overlook this free tool simply because it is an online PDF tool; AvePDF integrates more than 30 features. This online tool streamlines the whole removal process and makes it easy to navigate. Have a closer look at how AvePDF removes your signature from PDFs online:

Step 1: Type the URL in the search bar; 

How to remove a signature from a PDF online

Step 2: Look for Optimize and then click Remove PDF Interactive Content;

Step 3: Import your PDF file from your local folder, Dropbox, Google Drive, or web address;

How to remove a signature field from a PDF online

Step 4: After uploading the PDF to the workstation, tick the boxes if needed, and next choose Remove;

Step 5: Click Download to export the PDF. The signature(s) have been removed from your PDF document.

Note: Many users may worry about file security, but most online PDF tools utilize reliable encryption technology to ensure confidentiality. Apart from that, PDFs uploaded to online PDF platforms will be automatically deleted from their servers.

Final Thoughts

Desktop and online PDF signature removers have their strengths. Users can choose either way to remove a signature from a PDF. Personally, however, it is found desktop PDF programs are much more reliable when it comes to digital signature-protected PDFs because all the operations are completed locally without uploading to the server.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I remove my signature from PDFs for free?

A: Yes, every user has two or three free daily tasks for online PDF signature removers. Offline PDF programs will offer free trials for new users, and they vary from 7 days to 7 days. If you need a powerful PDF tool, SwifDoo PDF is worth trying. With its two-week free trial, users can try it before paying.

Q: Why can’t I remove signatures from PDFs in Adobe Acrobat?

A: If you are the owner or signee of the PDF document, you can update the Digital ID in Adobe to clear the signature from the PDF. However, when you are not the signee but still want to unlock a signed PDF for editing, you can try the above-stated PDF signature remover to finish the task.

With 2 years of experience writing reviews and roundup articles in the document management and software industries. Always have a passion for trying new things, especially software.

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