Delete digital IDs

Last updated on Aug 16, 2025

Learn how to remove digital IDs you no longer need in Adobe Acrobat.

Digital IDs in Acrobat allow you to sign documents electronically and encrypt PDFs for secure sharing. Over time, you may have digital IDs that are no longer needed or have expired. Removing unnecessary digital IDs helps you manage digital identity features within Acrobat. When you delete a digital ID, the PKCS #12 file containing the private key and the certificate is also deleted. However, a digital ID obtained from another provider cannot be deleted.

Caution

Before you delete your digital ID, ensure it isn’t used by other programs or required by any documents for decryption.

Windows

Select Menu > Preferences.

Select Signatures from the Categories menu, and then select More under Identities & Trusted Certificates.

Select Digital ID Files, select the ID you want to remove, and then select Remove ID.

The Digital ID and Trusted Certificate Settings dialog box displays a digital ID selected and the Remove ID option highlighted.
You can only delete self-signed digital IDs that were created in Acrobat.

Enter the password you set while creating your digital ID and select OK.

Note

If you forgot the password, you can delete the digital ID by deleting its file. To check the location of the file, select Remove ID. A dialog box will display the location path of the digital ID file. Access that location to delete the file directly. Restart Acrobat after you delete the file.

macOS

Select Acrobat > Preferences.

Select Signatures from the Categories menu, and then select More under Identities & Trusted Certificates.

Select Digital ID Files, select the ID you want to remove, and then select Remove ID.

Enter the password you set while creating your digital ID and select OK.

Note

If you forgot the password, you can delete the digital ID by deleting its file. To check the location of the file, select Remove ID. A dialog box will display the location path of the digital ID file. Access that location to delete the file directly. Restart Acrobat after you delete the file.