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Guy_I
Known Participant
March 24, 2021
Answered

Digital signatures removed when inserting file into another PDF

  • March 24, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 5981 views

I regularly assemble large documents -- 2,000-plus pages -- that consist of multiple chapters & appendices converted to PDF from Word files. The final insertion into the large document is a digitally signed letter from the person approving the overall document. When I insert the letter into the large PDF, Acrobat strips out the digital signature. Is there any way around this, other than printing the signed letter and scanning it into a PDF? 

Correct answer Test Screen Name

It isn't exactly stripped out. What you want to do is beyond impossible. Digital signatures apply to an entire PDF - never to single pages. So you can't add or subtract pages in a signed document or combine it, the signature us either lost or utterly broken and useless. This is why PDF portfolios were invented. 

2 replies

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Fiona31457774w8xf
New Participant
August 2, 2023

I have to do this on a routine basis and have found a work around.  Open the pdf containing the digital signatures.  Print to pdf.  You can now add this new pdf file to another pdf and it will retain the digital signatures.  Hope that helps.

 

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    camille33453563n5li
    New Participant
    November 7, 2023

    I to have to Print to save the signature when I need to save a signed document to another PDF "packet". Has there been a fix through Adobe?  If not when will this issue be addressed???

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    Test Screen NameCorrect answer
    Brainiac
    March 24, 2021

    It isn't exactly stripped out. What you want to do is beyond impossible. Digital signatures apply to an entire PDF - never to single pages. So you can't add or subtract pages in a signed document or combine it, the signature us either lost or utterly broken and useless. This is why PDF portfolios were invented. 

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    Guy_IAuthor
    Known Participant
    April 1, 2021

    I was afraid it couldn't be done. I'll ahe to investigate portfolios, then. Thanks. 

    O
    Ofira22638561hz0h
    New Participant
    December 13, 2022

    solved with https://pdfjoiner.com/ it showed the signature properly. maybe it can work for your needs as well

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