Can you trust this
PDF signature?
See who signed, whether the document changed afterwards, and whether the certificate is trusted.
- Free, no account
- File not stored
- EU Trusted Lists and Adobe AATL
Your file is sent to our server at app.swipesign.io for this check, processed in memory and then discarded. The file and its contents are not stored or logged. Your IP address and the request path do appear in our server logs: see the privacy policy.
What the result means
Valid
The signature is technically intact and matches the signed content. It does not mean the content is true or that the document is legally binding.
Trusted
The certificate leads to a root on the EU Trusted Lists or Adobe AATL. "Not trusted" means this check cannot confirm who holds it, not that the signature is forged.
Timestamped
An independent time service confirmed the signature existed at that time. Without one, the time comes from the signer's own device.
Certified
The first signer locked the document and set which later changes are allowed, such as filling in forms.
Long-term
The file carries what is needed to check the signature later, even after its certificates have expired. Technical name: LTV.
Qualified
A qualified electronic signature (QES) under eIDAS uses a qualified certificate and a qualified signature device. Under eIDAS it has the legal effect of a handwritten signature.
What this check is based on
Trust basis
Certificates are checked against the EU Trusted Lists published under eIDAS, and the Adobe Approved Trust List (AATL). Lists are refreshed several times a day. The date used is in every report. A certificate outside these lists can be genuine but cannot be confirmed here.
Your file
Your file goes over an encrypted connection to app.swipesign.io, is processed in memory and is then discarded. The file and its contents are not written to disk, stored or logged. Signer data from the file appears in your report, and the report is not kept. To check revocation, the service may ask a certificate's issuer about that certificate. Your IP address is used for up to 10 minutes to enforce usage limits, and it appears with the request path in server access logs kept for 30 days. Analytics records only the type of result. Details are in the privacy policy.
Limits of this check
This is an informational check, not a qualified validation service under eIDAS. It checks signatures and certificates. It does not check whether the content is true, whether the signer had authority, or whether the document is legally valid. For binding advice, ask a lawyer or notary.
Questions about the check
Why does my document say "not trusted" if it was signed properly?
Company-internal or some foreign certificates are not on the EU Trusted Lists or AATL. The signature can be intact while its owner cannot be confirmed here. Ask the signer to confirm it by another channel.
A signed PDF shows "changed afterwards". Has it been forged?
Not necessarily. In many contracts a later signer fills in a field before signing. The report shows each change and whether it came after the last signature. Download the signed version to compare.
Why don't I see a signature on the page?
Digital signatures can be invisible. The signature is in the file, not on a page. The reverse also applies: an image of a signature on a page is not a digital signature.
Why might another PDF program show a different result?
Programs use different trust lists and settings. This check uses the EU Trusted Lists and Adobe AATL.
Can I check a qualified electronic signature (QES)?
Yes. When the certificate and the EU Trusted Lists confirm it, the report marks the signature as a qualified electronic signature (QES) or a qualified seal. Signatures that are not qualified are labelled as such.
Does the check see whether a certificate was revoked?
Yes, for trusted certificates. The service asks the issuer for the certificate's status. If it was revoked, the report shows when, and whether a timestamp proves the signature was made before.
Is there a limit?
Up to 50 MB per file and 20 checks in 10 minutes.
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