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Lurklord
Lurklord
New Participant
May 23, 2017
Answered

Cannot sign a PDF that requires it - Sign tool disabled

  • May 23, 2017
  • 3 replies
  • 29789 views

Hello, I have the most current Acrobat Reader DC 2017 on macOS 10.11.6 (15G1421) and am trying to fill and sign a document that has been sent to me.

However, while all form fills are working, the initial, date or signature areas do nothing when clicked, and the Sign tool at the top remains disabled/greyed out.

The Document extensions seem to be set to enable me to do fill the form fields, save the file, sign it and even add attachments.

Please see screenshot with all relevant document, app and os info: Any help/info appreciated!

Correct answer cadbury

Dear slytu,

XFA forms can be digitally signed using Certificates tool.

In user’s XFA form he has allowed filling of form fields and signing existing signature fields.

But user’s form does not contain any signature field to sign. The signature dash does not actually contain any form field.

As there are other security restrictions in the document, adding any extra field is not allowed.

And hence user is not allowed to add any signature field to sign.

3 replies

R
Rebecca35556000g8qf
New Participant
February 19, 2024

I don't know if this would or could help anyone but I have had success with filling in an XFA form. I'm able to successfully fill in the for via my mobile and also on the computer.

I download/install the Adobe fill & sign app then I can either share it from AdobeDC or just go into AF&S app and open the document directly into it and get to filling it out. I have also had success with going online to Adobe Document Cloud and signing in then I'm able to choose from my list of documents that I had previously opened and either saved to document cloud or starred via AdobeDC app. I hope this helps.

H
hamdi_6227
New Participant
June 15, 2025

link please 

S_S
Community Manager
S_SCommunity Manager
Community Manager
June 17, 2025

Hi @hamdi_6227,

 

Hope you are doing well. Thanks for writing in!

 

The Adobe Fill & Sign App has been discontinued. The features of the app has been integrated into the Acrobat Reader Mobile app.

 

You can visit this page and click the link depending on your device platform to download the app from the respective app store: https://adobe.ly/44abebj.

 

Hope this helps.


Regards,
Souvik.

Lurklord
LurklordAuthor
New Participant
May 25, 2017

Sigh, Thanks all for clarification and only solution.

Ok, so the real wold answer is that the form creator set permissions that allowed for signatures and digital signing, but didn't create/add signater fields to the document so we could sign it.

Well, figures. It is a government document.

Almost, but not quite, unlike efficient. (Apologies to Douglas Adams)

So yes printing, signing and FAXING an electronic data records form for manual data re-entry I will go .

#cryingdigitalTears

    M
    Mitchell28676896yqx8
    New Participant
    March 2, 2023

    I'm literally having the exact same issue with the same type of government document right now, and I've spent hours trying to figure it out, but I think the only way to sign it is to print it in my case too. The document properties say no signatures allowed when I look under the properties and I tried going to certficates as well from tools to digitally sign, but that was greyed out too. It wasn't a waste of time though because I'm slightly less illiterate about adobe now haha.

    Collin Ferguson
    Collin Ferguson
    New Participant
    October 29, 2023

    Yet no doubt the form, just like the xfa form I'm trying to fill out, satisfies the requirements of the paperwork reduction act, as it states at the very bottom of the last page. 

    S
    Adobe Employee
    sangrover
    Adobe Employee
    May 23, 2017

    Hi,

    We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to you. The date, initial and signature fields do not seem to be active form fields and hence are not editable inside the Fill and Sign Application. If possible please share the PDF with us so that we can have a better look.

    This PDF seems to be an XFA PDF Form. That is why you are unable to sign it via Fill and Sign. As mentioned in the document extension, you can digitally sign the form. To do so you will need to launch the certificates application. Go to Tools > Certificates.

    Please let us know how it goes.

    Regards,
    Sandeep

      Lurklord
      LurklordAuthor
      New Participant
      May 23, 2017

      Thank you for you're reply. To you're first request, the form can be downloaded here for you to look at:

      I tried following your directions in the second paragraph, but doesn't seem to matter. Those signing and date tools are also disabled:

      cadbury
      Adobe Employee
      cadburyCorrect answer
      Adobe Employee
      May 25, 2017

      Dear slytu,

      XFA forms can be digitally signed using Certificates tool.

      In user’s XFA form he has allowed filling of form fields and signing existing signature fields.

      But user’s form does not contain any signature field to sign. The signature dash does not actually contain any form field.

      As there are other security restrictions in the document, adding any extra field is not allowed.

      And hence user is not allowed to add any signature field to sign.

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