User profile for user: antdude
antdude Author
User level: Level 2
224 points

Unable to delete trackpad's signatures from saved PDF form files in macOS' Preview app?

Hello,


I filled out a PDF form, with my signature from trackpad input, and saved it in macOS Ventura v13.6.3's Preview app. I reopened this file in Preview and wanted to change/delete the signature before submitting it online. However, I couldn't delete/replace it.


https://www.techtarget.com/searchcontentmanagement/tip/How-to-remove-digital-signatures-from-a-PDF says to use Preview's Markup toolbar, choose the Rectangular Selection, click on the signature, and press keyboard's delete key. However, I couldn't highlight this signature to delete.


This only happens AFTER I save the filled out PDF forms with the signature and reopen it in Preview. I could do it BEFORE saving, exiting Preview app, and reopening the file in Preview. Am I missing something to do this? If this is by design, then what's the best way to remove only that signature so I can replace it?


Thank you for reading and hopefully answering soon. :)

MacBook Pro (2017 – 2020)

Posted on Dec 27, 2023 11:20 AM

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User profile for user: VikingOSX
VikingOSX
User level: Level 10
124,802 points

Posted on Dec 27, 2023 11:47 AM

A signature is an annotation and when you save a PDF with annotations from Preview, you flatten that annotation layer down into the PDF content and it is no longer editable.


Preview autosaves your annotation changes to the PDF as you add them and provided the PDF is on a compatible filesystem where these autosaves can occur without issue, your final File menu : Save is optional and you could just quit Preview. This approach does not flatten the PDF and reopening the PDF would still allow you to edit your annotations.


It may be possible to remove that flattened PDF signature using a paid version of a proper PDF Editor, something that Preview is not.

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User profile for user: VikingOSX
VikingOSX
User level: Level 10
124,802 points

Dec 27, 2023 11:47 AM in response to antdude

A signature is an annotation and when you save a PDF with annotations from Preview, you flatten that annotation layer down into the PDF content and it is no longer editable.


Preview autosaves your annotation changes to the PDF as you add them and provided the PDF is on a compatible filesystem where these autosaves can occur without issue, your final File menu : Save is optional and you could just quit Preview. This approach does not flatten the PDF and reopening the PDF would still allow you to edit your annotations.


It may be possible to remove that flattened PDF signature using a paid version of a proper PDF Editor, something that Preview is not.

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Unable to delete trackpad's signatures from saved PDF form files in macOS' Preview app?

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