How to Verify a PDF Signature

Verifying a PDF signature answers two things: is the signature genuine, and has the document changed since it was signed? PDF Verified binds every signature to a tamper-evident SHA-256 seal and an audit trail, so anyone can verify a PDF signature in the browser, free, and with no account.

Verify a document free →

Drop your document here and sign it now. PDF, Word and Excel all work: a .docx or .xlsx is laid out in your browser exactly as it was written, so there is nothing to convert first. Add a signature, a date, a company stamp or a watermark, then download it sealed. Free to start, no account, and the file is never uploaded to open it.

Step by step

  1. Open /verify on the signed PDF.
  2. Scan the QR code, paste the short verification code, or upload the file.
  3. Confirm the signature is intact and the document unaltered.
  4. Open the certificate of completion for the signer, time, and audit trail.

What to look for

Frequently asked questions

Is it free to verify a pdf signature?

Yes. Upload the PDF to the PDF Verified checker and get a verdict for free, no account needed. The file is analysed and not shared.

Do I need the original to compare against?

No. If the document was sealed by PDF Verified, the SHA-256 fingerprint is embedded and checked automatically. For any other PDF, the forensic checker inspects the file's own structure, metadata, and revision history.

Is my document kept private?

The file is processed only to produce the verdict and is not published or shared. Verification of a PDF Verified document can also be done with just the QR code or short code, without uploading the file at all.

How do I verify a PDF signature?

Scan the QR code on the signed PDF, paste its short verification code, or upload the file at /verify. PDF Verified confirms the signature is intact and the document is unchanged since signing, and shows who signed and when, free, no account.

How do I know a PDF signature is genuine and not copied?

A pasted picture of a signature has no matching verification record. A PDF Verified signature is bound to the document’s SHA-256 fingerprint and an audit trail, so a genuine signature resolves to a public verification page while a copied image does not.

What PDF Verified is, and what it is not

These checks are a screen, not a verdict. A clean result means nothing was found by the checks that were run, which is not the same as proof that a document is genuine, and a flagged result can have an innocent explanation such as a re-save or a scan. Read the findings rather than the headline, and where a decision carries real consequences, confirm the document with the party that issued it. It is a tool for examining a document, not for producing a forged or altered one.

PDF Verified is a tool for preparing, signing, stamping and checking documents. It is not a law firm, a compliance service or a forensic examiner, and nothing here is legal, financial or compliance advice. Requirements differ by country, by document type and by the party asking, so check what applies to your document before you rely on it, and take advice where the document matters. You are responsible for the documents you create, sign and send, and for having the authority to do so: signing or stamping in somebody else name, or as an organisation you do not represent, is forgery whatever tool is used. To the extent the law allows, we accept no liability for how a document made with this tool is used or relied on. The full position is in our terms of service.

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