How to Speed Up Verification of Digitally Signed PDFs in Acrobat
Question details
The user wants to reduce the time it takes for Adobe Acrobat to open and verify PDF files that contain digital signatures, such as those signed with ZipLogix Digital Ink.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Opening and viewing PDF files that have been secured with external digital-signature services.
- Observed behavior
- The PDF viewer takes an unusually long time to open the file because the software gets delayed during the digital signature verification and certificate validation process.
Ensure you have a stable internet connection, as signature verification often requires the software to temporarily contact external certificate authorities to validate the digital signatures.
Update Acrobat and Add Folders to Privileged Locations
By keeping Acrobat fully updated and telling the software to trust the specific folders where your signed PDFs are stored, you can significantly bypass redundant security checks and reduce loading times.
PDF readers use strict security measures to validate signatures. When files are not in a trusted directory, the software spends extra time verifying certificates and checking for restricted content.
Open Adobe Acrobat, navigate to the 'Help' menu at the top, and click on 'Check for Updates' to install the latest available patch.
Go to 'Edit' and select 'Preferences'. In the left sidebar, click on 'Security (Enhanced)'.
Under the 'Privileged Locations' section, click the 'Add Folder Path' or 'Add File' button and select the directory where you typically save your digitally signed PDFs.
Click 'OK' to save your new preferences. Close Acrobat completely, restart your computer, and then try opening the signed PDF file again.
Open Signed PDFs Instantly with WPS Office
If your current PDF reader continues to struggle with long loading times during signature verification, switch to WPS Office. Its optimized PDF tool reads complex signed documents instantly without the sluggish delays.
- 1. Download the Software: Visit the official WPS Office website to download and install the free suite on your computer.
- 2. Launch the PDF Tool: Open WPS Office and click on the 'PDF' tab located on the left-side navigation panel.
- 3. Open Your Signed Document: Click the 'Open' button, browse for your digitally signed PDF file, and open it to view the contents instantly without prolonged verification screens.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my PDF software take so long to verify digital signatures?
Verification takes extra time because the software must reach out to external servers over the internet to validate the authenticity of the certificate and ensure the signature hasn't been revoked since signing.
What are 'Privileged Locations' in a PDF reader?
Privileged Locations are user-specified folders, files, or network paths that the PDF reader considers completely safe. Files opened from these locations are subjected to fewer security checks, which significantly speeds up loading times.
Can I permanently disable digital signature validation?
While you can change signature validation preferences in your security settings to stop automatic checks when opening a document, it is generally not recommended as it leaves you unable to verify if a sensitive document has been tampered with.
