How do I redact a document that has been signed using Adobe Sign?

[wilmetnj]

How do I redact a document that has been signed using Adobe Sign?

[MikelKlink]

You are aware that redaction changes the document? Thus, after redaction any digital signatures will be invalid. Is that ok for your use case?

[wilmetnj]

Yes, I am aware of that.  Any signatures on the document would be part of what is being redacted, so I guess that means that it would be ok that the document has been changed and the signatures would be invalid.

[MikelKlink]

Ok. Then the question is which application(s) for PDF processing you have at your disposal or are prepared to acquire.

[wilmetnj]

I have Adobe Acrobat DC.

[Meenakshi Negi]

Hi Wilmetnj,

Thank you for reaching out and sorry for the delay in response.

If the document is signed via the Adobe Sign or it is an Adobe Sign document, it is not possible to redact it.

It is not possible to make any changes to the document signed via Adobe Sign. This is a designed behaviour.

Hope the information helps.

Thanks,

Meenakshi

[MikelKlink]

If the document is signed via the Adobe Sign or it is an Adobe Sign document, it is not possible to redact it.

It is not possible to make any changes to the document signed via Adobe Sign. This is a designed behaviour.

This is incorrect (at least unless the format of Adobe Sign signed PDFs recently has changed completely).

The most recent Adobe Sign signed PDF I have merely is certified with no changes allowed and encrypted without Document Open Password to disallow changes.

Neither mechanism makes it "impossible to make any changes".

Changes will invalidate the certification signature, but the OP has indicated that they are ok with removing the digital signature altogether, so that is no problem.

Furthermore, encryption permissions only work for cooperative applications and there are dozens of non cooperative web services out there allowing to remove encryption.

Thus, most likely you would have been right if you said that it's not possible to make any changes using Adobe Acrobat alone. Using other software first to remove certification and encryption, though, will allow redacting the document, quite likely even with Adobe Acrobat.

[SimonATS · Accepted solution]

Hi  Mikel, indeed you are correct. Unless the PDF also has an open password set, using 3rd party software you can refry the signed PDF from Adobe Sign.

However there is a better for users with business/enteprise type of Sign accounts. These Sign accounts can be configured so the sealing is changes so the signed pdf no longer has an owner password, and uses a digital signature rather than a certitifcate to seal the Signed PDF,

with such a PDF, Acrobat can be used to easily remove the seal by combining the file (but not selecting other files if not actually wanting to combine) into a new file, or extract all pages into a new file. This unsealed copy can be redacted, or otherwise be processed. Though it's advisable to also keep a copy of the sealed pdf version as well.

[Denise21869693ta68]

Hi Simon, 

Can I 'save-as' a file that has been e-signed so I can redact sensitive data? I need to do that even though the signed document is going to be considered "invalid" moving forward, just so I can have a copy of the document without sensitive data on it - for document retention. The original showing sensitive data will be saved on a different platform my Licensee approves, but I want to keep a copy for my records without showing sensitive data AFTER e-signature has been completed.  Thank you!

[mariahweyne]

You could print the document, rescan it and then redact it.  

[Teplice]

The easiest way. Export -> PostScript -> this make .ps file, open it with Adobe, this make a new PDF, unlocked without sign

[defaultegdqo359u7ja]

I have Adobe Acrobat Pro and I am trying to redact information from documents signed with Adobe Sign.  I can highlight the text to be redacted but I'm not able to apply the redaction.  Any ideas? I have dozens of these documents that need redaction. 

[try67]

Not possible. A digital signature locks the file from further editing.

You need to do so before the files are signed.

[defaultegdqo359u7ja]

Damn, I didn't need to redact them until after they were signed.  I only bought Pro for the redaction function. There's no other workaround?

[try67]

Remove the signature, redact, then sign again.

[defaultegdqo359u7ja]

Thanks, I will try that.