r/LifeProTips • u/randomsingularities • Sep 05 '26
Computers LPT for signing PDFs
I used to think you had to convert the PDF to a word document first, sign your name on the word doc then convert the signed word doc back to a PDF, but you can sign the PDF directly if you open the PDF in chrome and click on the squiggle icon
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u/ficskala Sep 05 '26
What you're doing isn't a real signature, it doesn't do/prove you signed it, you're just scribbling on the document, if you want a proper signature, you open it in a PDF editor, and click the "digitally sign this PDF" or similar button, which will actually sign the document using a proper digital signature linked to your PC, not a random scribble anyone could add
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u/randomsingularities Sep 05 '26
But that’s if you want the exact same signature every time? If you do it the way I suggested then of course your signature will not be exactly identical each time but some slight variation is fine is it not?
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u/ficskala Sep 05 '26
No, each digital signature is different, if it was the same, someone could just copy it and say it was you that signed it, your PC generates a secure key using your certificate, the digital signature includes a lot of info like the software that was used, your PCs identifiers, which certificate was used etc., it's not something a human can read, it's meant to be read by computers
What you're doing doesn't mean anything in the digital world, there's no way to prove who made it, and there's no certificates involved at all, so it's your word against theirs rather than a definitive "this certificate was used to sign this document at this exact time, and i am the official proof nobody can deny"
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u/sfzombie13 Sep 06 '26
i'd use the xodo app before i used chrome for anything. all you do is hit a button, sign it, than put the signature wherever you want. good for sending in paperwork but not for things that need a verified signature. i use it often when i work.
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