Certify a document

By signing a document, you allow recipients to verify that the signed document actually came from you. Your digital ID is part of the signature, which establishes your identity. You can create your own digital ID (called a self-signed ID) or get a certificate from a certificate authority (an organization that issues certificates).

You can certify a document with or without a visible signature. Document recipients see a Blue Ribbon icon above the document, which signifies that it has been certified.

  1. Open the document you want to certify with a digital signature.
  2. Choose Advanced > Sign & Certify > Certify With Visible Signature or Certify Without Visible Signature. Or, click the Sign icon in the taskbar, and then click Certify With Visible Signature or Certify Without Visible Signature.
  3. Read the information in the dialog boxes and click OK to each one.
  4. If you select Certify With Visible Signature, drag your mouse to create a signature field as described in the previous dialog box. If you do not have a digital ID, the Add A Digital ID dialog box is displayed. Otherwise, the Certify Document dialog box is displayed.
    Password
    Type the password associated with the digital ID.

    Appearance
    Select an existing appearance or select Create New Appearance to select the information to be displayed in the Signature field.

    Permitted Actions After Certifying
    Select specific actions to allow in the document.

  5. Click Sign, and then save the document.

    When recipients open the document, they can open the signature panel to view the signature, and display the signature properties.