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15

Acrobat Pro DC "Add Digital Signature" tool missing in "Prepare Form" toolbar

New Here ,
May 25, 2017 May 25, 2017

In Acrobat Pro DC, the "Add Digital Signature" tool missing in "Prepare Form" toolbar.

I had to use the "Create Custom Tool"  -> open the "Prepare Form" dropdown -> select  the "Add Digital Signature" tool and add it as a new custom tool.

Anyone else have this problem?

Is there something I missed?

TOPICS
Security digital signatures and esignatures
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1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
New Here ,
May 30, 2017 May 30, 2017

When you open Acrobat DC click on the Tools menu option at the top left

Scroll down until you see Customize

Open the "Create Custom Tool"

Expand "Prepare Forms" in the list displayed

Select "Digital Signature" (second from the bottom)

Add it to a custom list, or add it to show in the Toolbar

I strongly recommend reviewing the entire list which displays when you open the "Create Custom Tool"

Click save and name your custom tool

You can now access the "Digital Signature" tool

It baffles me that "Digital Signature" isn't part of the default "Prepare Forms" toolbar

Kerstin

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Community Expert ,
May 26, 2017 May 26, 2017

Where do you see "Create Custom Tool" ?

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Guest
Oct 09, 2018 Oct 09, 2018

This should not be the answer ...

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New Here ,
May 30, 2017 May 30, 2017

When you open Acrobat DC click on the Tools menu option at the top left

Scroll down until you see Customize

Open the "Create Custom Tool"

Expand "Prepare Forms" in the list displayed

Select "Digital Signature" (second from the bottom)

Add it to a custom list, or add it to show in the Toolbar

I strongly recommend reviewing the entire list which displays when you open the "Create Custom Tool"

Click save and name your custom tool

You can now access the "Digital Signature" tool

It baffles me that "Digital Signature" isn't part of the default "Prepare Forms" toolbar

Kerstin

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Community Expert ,
May 30, 2017 May 30, 2017

The "Digital Signature" is part of the default "Prepare Form" toolbar.  But not for a Adobe Sign Form.

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Community Beginner ,
Aug 23, 2018 Aug 23, 2018

Actually no, it's not there when preparing a form from a new PDF. I thought it was my install somehow but I see others can't find it either!

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Community Beginner ,
Aug 23, 2018 Aug 23, 2018

Good post! Helped me out. It surely was easy before this new iteration 'improved' usability!

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New Here ,
Apr 28, 2020 Apr 28, 2020

Thank you very much! I just shared my screen with support and he couldn't solve my problem - yet here I find your answer clear as day and my problem is fixed. Thank you for the help!

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New Here ,
Jul 07, 2020 Jul 07, 2020

Many thanks for this. The online help doesn't even mention "digital signature". 

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New Here ,
Mar 01, 2021 Mar 01, 2021

Thank you for sharing this!  The lack of digital signature on my Prepare Form was driving me nuts.  I don't prefer work arounds but thank you for providing us with one! 🙂

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New Here ,
Oct 05, 2021 Oct 05, 2021

4 years later and this is still a good and relivent answer. Thank you OP.

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New Here ,
May 10, 2022 May 10, 2022

Jesus! Hours trying to figure this out. Videos and blogs online didn't mention this issue. Thank you! It's 1:30 am and I can finally go to sleep! 

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New Here ,
Nov 07, 2022 Nov 07, 2022

THANK YOU! 
4.5 years later and this was still the only resolution I could find online! 
It's criminal how hidden the "Digital Signature" option is.. 

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New Here ,
Nov 18, 2022 Nov 18, 2022

THANK YOU SO MUCH, KERSTIN!!! I was so confused as to why I didn't have digital signature as an option in prepare forms on the Adobe version I have and you helped!!!

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New Here ,
Jan 12, 2023 Jan 12, 2023

Thank you so much Kerstin!! I spent hours trying to figure out where the digital signature tool was. Your post is the only mention I've found of it online. ADOBE, YOU NEED TO FIX THIS!!! It should be on the Prepare Forms toolbar. I know you want people to use your Request Signatures, but many of us still need to be able to create a form and email it to a client!

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New Here ,
Mar 25, 2025 Mar 25, 2025

I've spent hours today trying to figure this out ! 8 years later this is STILL a problem and this is STILL the only place I've found the answer! Thank you SO much for posting this! I had to "Leave the New Adobe Experience" (click on the menu and scroll down) as the "New Experience" wouldn't allow me to create a custom tool, but once I figured that out your instructions were perfect. 

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Adobe Employee ,
Apr 22, 2025 Apr 22, 2025
LATEST

Hi @mandi_3685,

 

Hope you are doing well. 

 

Thanks for writing about what worked for you.

Marking this as a correct answer for future users to use as a reference.


Regards,
Souvik.

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New Here ,
Sep 25, 2019 Sep 25, 2019

I have the exact same issue.  My "Prepare Form" has Signature, Signature Block, but not Digitial Signature.

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Community Beginner ,
Jan 07, 2020 Jan 07, 2020

Two PDF docs are open in my Acrobat Pro DC. when opening

Prepare Form Tool I can see 'Add a digital signature' for the first one, while the second one  has Signature, Signature Block, but not 'Add a digital signature'. I can copy the signature field from the first document and paste it to the second one, though. So, the tools ready to use in Prepare From do depend on something in the PDF being opened?

 

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New Here ,
Jan 17, 2020 Jan 17, 2020

Yes, So there is an initial option screen that displays when you "Prepare Form" for the first time. If you checked the "This document requires signatures" it changes your Prepare From options bar.

Leave the Box UNCHECKED and a digital signture option appears. 

You might need to close and reopen the document to get this option as i have not found how to undo the check box selection after the fact. 

Untitled.png

 

With box checked:

bar1.png

 

With box unchecked:

bar2.png

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Community Expert ,
Jan 17, 2020 Jan 17, 2020

In form edit mode you can use at the right side More > Revert to Acrobat Form

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 03, 2020 Feb 03, 2020

Confirmed, thank you so much for your help!

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Community Beginner ,
Feb 03, 2020 Feb 03, 2020

@Bernd_Alheit,

 

that also works and it is quicker (though the exact menu entry is 'Revert to ...'

 

Thank you for your help!

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New Here ,
Sep 23, 2020 Sep 23, 2020

Thank you very much.  That solved it!

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New Here ,
Dec 15, 2021 Dec 15, 2021

This answer should be at the top! Thank you!

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