question about signatures

[pierret18811376]

Hello,

In Acrobat Pro I have created a signature, that is displayed in the signature tab.

I don't succeed to display several signatures in the signature tab. How to do it (ie : how to create another signature and display it in the signature tab) ?

Actually, inside acrobat pro or on the site acrobat.adobe.com, I see that I can have only one signature. How to have more than one signature ?

Because, according to the document I have to sign, I have a different signature to apply.

[Tariq Ahmad]

Hi @pierret18811376,

Thanks for your question. I think there may be a little mix-up between two different types of signatures in Acrobat:

• Digital certificate signatures (cryptographic, appear in the Signatures panel) → These are tied to a certificate. You can have multiple certificates installed (for example, personal vs. company), but each signing action uses one certificate at a time. Acrobat doesn’t “store” multiple certificates in the signature tab — that tab only shows signatures already applied to the open document.

• Fill & Sign signatures (drawn, typed, or image signatures) → These are quick “appearance” signatures, and you can save one main signature and one set of initials at a time. If you need a different look, you’ll need to clear and recreate the signature in Fill & Sign.

In Acrobat Sign (cloud service), you have more flexibility. You can:

• Manage different saved signatures (drawn, image, typed).

• Use them across any device when signing requests sent via Acrobat Sign.

• Apply signatures consistently to different documents without having to reset them each time in Fill & Sign.

The “Signatures” panel will only ever show the signatures already applied to the document, not a list of all the signatures you’ve created.

Could you confirm if you’re working with certificate-based digital signatures, Cloud based or just the Fill & Sign feature? That’ll help narrow down the exact steps.

Best regards,
Tariq | Adobe Community Team

[pierret18811376]

Hello,

I have tried three solutions :

1) in the acrobat pro / signature tab : I can see my main signature, but cannot add another signature (only one signature).

2) in acrobat.adobe.com site / settings/personnal preferences/my signature : same problem (only one signature).

3) I have created a certificate and saved my other signature in it, that I can use on several documents : problems : it is very difficult to use, and it does not display all my signatures visually in a list (like in signature tab).

My goal would be  (inside acrobat pro only, ie not on the web) :

— being able to save several signature in a list, where all signature can be seen visually in this list.

— a more easy way to do that.

[pierret18811376]

Hi @Tariq Ahmad ,

what do you advise me to do ?

[Tariq Ahmad]

Hi @pierret18811376, 

 

Creating Multiple Digital Signatures (Digital IDs) in Adobe Acrobat (Desktop App)

You can have more than one Digital ID (signature identity) in Acrobat — for example, one for personal use and another for business — and switch between them when signing.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Open Acrobat and Access Preferences

• Launch Adobe Acrobat Pro (or Standard).

• Go to the menu:

  Windows: Edit > Preferences > Signatures

  macOS: Acrobat > Preferences > Signatures

2. Manage Identities & Trusted Certificates

• Under Identities & Trusted Certificates, click More.

3. Add a New Digital ID

You’ll see options like:

• Add ID → Choose how to create or import it:

  • A. Create a new Digital ID (Self-signed)

    • Select New PKCS#12 digital ID file

    • Enter your name, email, organization, and location

    • Set a password and save the file (.pfx or .p12)

  • B. Use an existing Digital ID from a file

    • If you already have another certificate, browse to it and import.

  • C. Use a Digital ID from a smart card or USB token (if applicable)

You can repeat this process to create multiple IDs.

4. Naming & Differentiation

Each Digital ID can have:

• A unique display name

• Different certificate details

• Separate passwords

This allows you to use different signatures (e.g., “Tariq Ahmad – Work” vs “Tariq Ahmad – Personal”).

5. Using Different Signatures

When signing a PDF:

• Go to Tools → Certificates → Digitally Sign

• When prompted to select an ID, choose the one you want to use from the list.

• Enter the password for that ID, and Acrobat will apply the correct certificate.

6. Managing & Deleting IDs

You can return anytime to:

Preferences → Signatures → Identities & Trusted Certificates → More → Digital IDs

to:

• View,

• Rename,

• Delete, or

• Export/Import your IDs.

Note: If you want each signature to have a different visual appearance, go to: Preferences → Signatures → Creation & Appearance → More → New Appearance. You can then associate each appearance with a specific digital ID.

You can't create multiple "Fill and Sign" identities; a digital signature is the only option. 

Best regards,
Tariq | Adobe Community Team

[pierret18811376]

Hi @Tariq Ahmad 

Thank you for your detailed explanation about digital certificate signature in acrobat Pro desktop.

I have tried again to use all the steps you give me, and succeeded to create a signature, but I have 3 problems :

— it is too complicated to use this way  each day.

— the signature is not immediately visual (not easy to see visually immediately at what certificate is corresponding to what signature).

— when acrobat applied the signature on the document, I cannot resize the signature area on the document.

But the more pronlematic for me about digital certificate sigature, is that I cannot resize the signature area on the document

You talked me before that the best way to use signature was to use "Acrobat sign (cloud service)". I have 2 questions :

1) as I have a subscription for acrobat pro (desktop), does acrobat sign (cloud) is free for me ?

2) how to access to acrobat sign (cloud) ?

[Tariq Ahmad]

I understand, @pierret18811376.
Once the signature is applied, you can't change the size or dimensions. However, you can place a digital signature field according to your required dimension under the Prepare Form option.  

If you have an Acrobat Pro subscription ( not a serialized product), you can have access to Acrobat Sign. 
You can access Acrobat Sign on Web here https://adobe.ly/4oxhpPo under E-sign. 

Also, if you are planning to use Acrobat Sign, which is an online service, visit this as well: Adobe Sign Transaction limits;

If you have further questions, let us know.

Best regards,
Tariq | Adobe Community Team

[pierret18811376]

Hi @Tariq Ahmad 

Another problem I have with digital certificate signature in acrobat pro is that each time I create a signature, it says me (see screenshot) : "This document contains constructions that may affect its appearance. Review it before continuing". So I have each time to click on "review" button before to sign.   Why ?

PS : the 2 links you give me about "acrobat sign" are going on an internet page with "error 404".

[Tariq Ahmad]

@pierret18811376, 

The message you’re seeing — “This document contains constructions that may affect its appearance. Review it before continuing.” — is a generic alert from Acrobat. It appears when a file includes certain layered or dynamic elements (for example, form fields, transparency effects, or other structural objects) that could visually change once the document is signed.

When you apply a digital signature, Acrobat locks the file to preserve its integrity. This means the document becomes read-only, and any visual layers or interactive elements are flattened, which can slightly change how it appears. The alert simply asks you to review the document before Acrobat finalizes it to ensure everything looks correct.

After reviewing the content, you can safely continue signing. The warning doesn’t indicate a problem with your file — it’s just a precautionary check to help you confirm the document’s appearance before it’s permanently locked.

Thanks for pointing out, I have fixed the links above, and here it is again: https://adobe.ly/47a8RGQ

Best regards,
Tariq | Adobe Community Team

[pierret18811376]

Hi @Tariq Ahmad 

Ok, I understand.

Concerning adobe sign (cloud), here is what I have when click on your link :

In that case, what to do in order to create several signatures, and how to apply them on the document ?

[Tariq Ahmad]

@pierret18811376, 

I am afraid Acrobat Sign is not going to help. 

A digital signature is the only option for creating multiple signature identities. With a cloud-based signature, you can also create different digital signatures with different certificates. 

If you want, you can contact Adobe Support: https://adobe.ly/49mwHlo;

Best regards,
Tariq | Adobe Community Team

[pierret18811376]

Hi @Tariq Ahmad 

In my case, my goal is to :

1) create several signatures.

2) after applying a signature on the document, be able to resize the signature area (like in "fill and sign" tab in acrobat pro).

So, what is the solution : acrobat pro desktop or Acrobat sign (cloud) ?