How to Verify a Signature Is Authentic
A signature is only meaningful if you can prove who applied it and that nothing changed afterwards. PDF Verified ties every signature to a tamper-evident SHA-256 seal and an audit trail, so a recipient can confirm the signature is authentic, with no account.
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
- Go to /verify.
- Scan the QR code on the signed PDF, paste the short code, or upload the file.
- Confirm the signer identity, signing time, and tamper status.
- Download or view the certificate of completion for the full record.
What to look for
- A valid, unbroken SHA-256 seal on the document
- A complete audit trail with timestamps and signer details
- A public verification page reachable from the QR code
- No revisions added after the final signature
Frequently asked questions
Is it free to verify a signature is authentic?
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.
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.
More verification guides
- How to Check if a PDF Was Edited or Modified
- How to Detect Document Tampering & Forgery
- How to Validate a Digital Signature in a PDF
- Verify a Signed PDF Online, Free
- How to Check Document Authenticity Online
- How to Check PDF Metadata & Edit History
- How to Verify a Certificate of Completion
- How to Tell if a Document Was Photoshopped or Altered
- Verify a Document Without an Account or Software
- How to Verify a PDF Document