How to remove a signature from a PDF on a Mac, and why some will not come off
Delete a signature you added in Preview, why a signature sometimes cannot be selected at all, and what to do about a certificate signature, all on a Mac.
The problem
You signed in the wrong place, signed the wrong copy, or need to send the document without your signature. You click the signature to delete it and nothing happens, or you never find a way to select it at all.
How do I remove a signature from a PDF on a Mac?
If you added it in Preview and have not flattened the file, click the signature once so a box appears around it, and press Delete. Then save.
- Open the PDF in Preview.
- Click the signature once. A selection box with handles appears round it.
- Press Delete.
- Choose File > Export as PDF to save a copy without it.
Why can I not remove a signature from a PDF?
Because it is no longer a separate thing you can select. A signature added in Preview is an annotation, a layer on top of the page. Once the file is printed to PDF, flattened, or scanned, the signature becomes part of the page itself, like the printed words. We tested it: our signed file had one annotation, the signature; after flattening it had none, so there was nothing left to click.
Measured on 16 October 2026 on a MacBook Air (M1), macOS 27.0.1, with made test files. The signature was added as an ink annotation, the kind of separate object a drawn signature is, then the page was drawn with its annotations into a new PDF.
How do I remove a signature that is part of the page?
Go back to the copy from before it was signed, if you have one, or ask the sender for it. Covering the signature with a white box hides it on screen, but the original stays underneath; to remove it for real, redact that area: how to redact a PDF on a Mac.
Can I remove a digital signature from a PDF?
Usually only the person who signed can clear it, with the certificate they signed with, in the app they used. A certificate signature is built so that changing the file afterwards shows up as a broken signature. If you were sent a digitally signed file, ask the signer for a new one. The difference between the two kinds: electronic or digital signature.
How do I delete a saved signature from Preview's Sign menu?
Open the Markup toolbar, click Sign, hover over the signature in the list, and click the X beside it. That removes it from Preview, not from any file you already signed.
Our take
Keep an unsigned copy of anything you sign. A drawn signature is easy to remove only until the file is flattened, and flattening is exactly what we recommend before sending, so the safe habit is to sign a copy and keep the original.
The one click way
Simply PDF writes the signature into the page and shows the result before you save, so a signature in the wrong place can be moved before it becomes part of the file. Fill and Sign needs a key; opening and reading are free. To sign again properly: how to sign a PDF on a Mac.
Questions
How do I remove my signature from a PDF in Preview?
Click the signature once so it is selected, press Delete, and export a copy. This works while the signature is still a separate annotation.
Why can I not select the signature on my PDF?
The file was flattened, printed to PDF or scanned after signing, so the signature is now part of the page. Use the unsigned original, or redact the area.
Can I remove a digital signature from a PDF?
Normally only the signer can clear it, with their certificate. Ask them for a new copy.