How to View SIGNiX Digitally Signed Documents on Mobile Devices

Here at SIGNiX, we exclusively use PDFs because they offer more security features than .jpgs, .tiffs or Word documents. But a lot of the advanced cryptographic features of the PDF format haven't found their way onto mobile devices yet.

That's why we wanted to clear up what you should expect to see when you look at a SIGNiX digitally signed document on a mobile device. Because there isn't enough support for these features on most mobile devices, the signatures may look or "act" differently than they would on a computer. Some apps may not display the signatures, so it’s important to know how to view these signatures properly. Don’t worry! The signatures are there, but the native viewer just doesn’t yet know what to do with them.

If you plan to look at SIGNiX signed documents on a mobile device, we strongly recommend installing the free Adobe Reader app for iOS or Android. This app will correctly show the appearance of any PDF digital signature. Once you’ve installed the app, follow the instructions below to open a signed PDF in the app.

If you received the document as attachment in email - iOS

1) Scroll (if necessary to find the attachment icons. Tap to download them, if required.

2) The PDF attachment may be downloaded, or it may be previewed in-line with the email. 

3) Hold your finger on the attachment icon or the previewed document until a new dialog pops-up. Adobe Reader should be one of the apps you can choose from.

4) Tap on the Adobe Reader app and the file will preview correctly, with all signatures.

If you received the document as attachment in email - Android

1) Choose Attachments from the middle tab bar to view the attachments.

2) Tap the Load button to download the files to your Android device.

3) Tap the View button. A list of applications able to open the PDF should be displayed, if you haven’t already assigned a default.

4) Tap on the Adobe Reader icon, and then tap Always. From now on, all PDFs will be viewed in Adobe Reader. 

5) The file should now open in Adobe Reader and be displayed correctly, with all signatures visible.

Document already in "preview"/ Quick Look - iOS

1) If you only have one attachment in an email or you downloaded a digitally signed file, you may already be looking at the PDF. If you’re in a browser like Safari, it may have opened in a new tab. You may be wondering where the signatures are. Don't worry, they're still there. You just need to open the document in Adobe Reader.

To ensure you’re seeing it correctly, tap your finger once on the screen. In the upper right hand corner you should see an icon that looks like a box with an arrow pointing out of it or you may see the words "Open In."

2) Tap on that icon or those words, and you’ll see the following dialog.

3) Now, click on the Adobe Reader icon, and you’ll see the document as it was intended with the signatures you were expecting.

Note that our features like the green check mark, Signature History™ and other embedded information won't be available on mobile devices because of their more limited capabilities. If you have questions about the document, be sure to open it on a computer in Adobe Reader or other PDF reader software to dig deeper into these other assurance features.