How to Remove an Old Saved Signature or Digital ID in Adobe Acrobat
Question details
The user needs to locate the correct menu and delete an outdated saved signature or digital ID within Adobe Acrobat.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat Pro DC
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Managing digital identities and trusted certificates by cleaning up obsolete signature profiles.
- Observed behavior
- The user cannot find the option to delete an outdated saved signature, as it is no longer visible in Acrobat Pro DC version 2021.0001.20135.
Ensure you have the necessary administrator permissions or the exact password for your digital ID, as some organization-issued or roaming certificates cannot be deleted manually without authorization.
Remove the Digital ID via Acrobat Preferences
Use the Acrobat Preferences menu to locate your digital IDs and manually remove the obsolete signature profiles.
In newer versions of Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, the management of digital IDs and trusted certificates has been consolidated under the Preferences menu. You will need to access the specific Identities section to remove outdated signatures securely.
Launch Adobe Acrobat. On Windows, click on 'Edit' from the top menu and select 'Preferences'. On macOS, click on 'Acrobat' in the top menu bar and select 'Preferences'.
In the left-hand pane of the Preferences dialog box, scroll down and click on 'Signatures'.
Find the section labeled 'Identities & Trusted Certificates' and click the 'More' button next to it.
In the new window, expand the 'Digital IDs' folder on the left. Locate and click on the outdated digital ID or signature profile you wish to delete.
Click the 'Remove ID' button located in the top toolbar to permanently delete the saved signature.
Manage PDF Signatures Effortlessly with WPS Office
If you are struggling with complex certificate menus in Adobe Acrobat, WPS Office offers a free, highly intuitive PDF editor. You can seamlessly create, manage, and delete digital signatures without digging through complicated settings.
- 1. Open Your PDF: Launch WPS Office and open the PDF document you wish to sign or edit.
- 2. Access the Signature Tool: Navigate to the 'Fill & Sign' or 'Protect' tab on the top ribbon.
- 3. Manage Signatures: Click on 'PDF Signature' to display a dropdown of your currently saved signatures.
- 4. Delete Outdated Signatures: Hover your mouse over the signature you want to remove and click the delete (X) icon to instantly remove it from your saved profiles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a signature that is already applied to a PDF document?
You can only clear a signature from a document if you were the one who applied it and the document hasn't been permanently locked. Right-click the signature block on the document and select 'Clear Signature'. This removes it from the document, but not from your saved digital IDs.
Where does Acrobat store self-signed digital IDs locally?
Adobe Acrobat typically stores self-signed digital IDs as .pfx or .p12 files on your local hard drive. On Windows, they are often located in the user's AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Acrobat folder.
How do I remove a Windows Digital ID from Acrobat?
Acrobat cannot directly delete digital IDs that are stored in the Windows Certificate Store. To remove these, you must open the Windows 'Manage user certificates' tool (certmgr.msc), locate the certificate under the Personal folder, and delete it there.
