Portable Document Format or PDFs are a type of un-editable file format that is meant to be shared directly through any source. PDFs generally do not allow any changes in them. This is why they are a secure form of sharing data and files to ensure no change is made when transferred from one system to another.
But, sometimes, in a random situation, we might want to make some changes to our PDF files. One of the most common scenarios is removing a signature from them. We realized this problem was big; hence we found all the methods to remove signature from PDF files easily. Recently, we shared an easy tutorial to Make a PDF File Smaller on MAC, and today, we’ll share ways to edit and remove signature from PDF.
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Remove Signature From PDF | Step By Step Guide
There are a few ways to remove a signature from necessary PDF files. With the ever-advancing technology, gone are the days when PDFs were indeed uneditable. Today, there are a lot of websites and methods to edit a PDF file or to remove a signature from them precisely.
Let us know some methods to efficiently remove signatures from PDF files.
Converting the PDF Document to Word
A PDF document might not be editable, but a word document surely is. So, the first trick to removing a signature from any PDF document is converting it to a Word file. After converting it to a word file, you can easily wave off the signature from it and then convert it back to a PDF document.
Follow the steps below to successfully remove a signature from any PDF file by converting it to a word document.
- Go to the website called ‘I love PDF.’
- On the website’s homepage, click on the “Convert PDF” option in the nav bar. A drop-down menu will open.
- From the drop-down menu, choose the “PDF to Word” option.
- On the next window, select the PDF file you want to remove the signature from.
- After the upload is complete, click on the “Convert to Word” option displayed at the screen’s bottom.
- Now Download the converted Word file.
- Open the Word document, click on the signature, and press the delete button.
- After your signature is successfully removed, save the file as a PDF document in MS Word.
That’s it. You have successfully removed the signature from your PDF document. This is one of the easiest ways to remove a signature from a PDF file. Make sure that you do not make any other changes when editing the document in Word.
Using Third-Party PDF Editing Websites
There are a lot of websites that let you edit any PDF file with ease. For this example, we have considered a particular website called “Sejda.” Although there are a lot of other websites that provide the same service, you can choose any of them.
You can follow the steps below to successfully remove a signature from any PDF document using a third-party website.
- Go to the website called Sejda.
- Click on “Edit a PDF Document,” and on the next screen, upload the PDF file from which you want to remove the signature.
- Next, your PDF file will become editable. Now, you can either delete the signature or you can also overlay a blank white box over it to hide the signature.
- Note that deleting the signature will actually remove it from the document, whereas if you only overlay a white box over the signature, it will still remain there but won’t be visible.
- After you have successfully removed the signature, save the PDF document.
- Download the PDF file.
That’s it! The signature has now been removed from the PDF file.
This is another excellent method to remove a signature from any PDF document. Although, if the PDF document is too sensitive to be shared, uploading it on any third-party website is not recommended as it can be unsafe.
Should You Remove Signature from PDF?
One of the prime questions here is why one would need to remove a signature from any PDF document. If you are altering a PDF document that is entirely owned by you and modifying it is not with the intention of illegal work, then you can definitely do so. But removing someone else’s signature from any PDF document and making false claims can be considered illegal and put you in trouble.
Although we have mentioned the ways of removing a signature from any PDF document, this website does not promote any illegal activity or does not support making false claims by altering any legal PDF document.
Thus, it is recommended that you remove a signature from any PDF file with good intentions and do not commit any illegal activity in the process.
If you still face any issues while editing, drop a comment down and we’ll help you with all your doubts.
FAQs | Remove Signature from PDF
Can I remove a signature from a PDF document for free?
Yes, removing a signature from a PDF document is absolutely free. You can simply follow any of the above methods to remove signatures and get your work sorted easily.
Is it illegal to remove someone else’s signature?
Yes, to alter anyone’s signature with or without their permission is illegal. According to law, a signature can be made or changed only by the person whose signature it is and no one else.
Will Adobe Acrobat Reader remove a signature from PDF?
Yes, you can use Adobe Acrobat Reader to remove a signature from any PDF file. Although it is a bit of a complex process, you can follow the methods mentioned above instead of using Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Conclusion
That is how you can successfully remove a signature from any PDF file. Remember that using third-party websites and uploading sensitive PDFs can be risky. As an alternative, it is recommended that you directly open any PDF file in MS Word. Remove the protected view option and remove the signature from it quickly. After this, you can again save the file as a PDF document.
Both the methods mentioned above are quite complex but are one of the safest ways to deal with sensitive data. If the data is not too sensitive, try using any of the above methods to quickly and easily remove a signature from your PDF document.
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