Certify a PDF in Six Steps
Manual certification uses the Certidox web platform and requires no special installation. The screenshot below shows the actual certification form.
Choose a QR seal
Select one of the available certification seal designs.
Set the seal position
Choose the page, corner or position, and margins in millimeters.
Select the PDF
Upload the exact document that you intend to certify.
Identify the document
Enter its title and choose the document type.
Preview the result
Review the selected document and the seal placement.
Certify and distribute
Complete certification, then share the resulting certified PDF through your normal channels.
Certify the completed document, then distribute the certified version. Recipients can compare it with the original certified reference.
What Recipients Can Verify
Scan the QR code to access the certification record. Recipients can check:
- Recorded origin: the person or organization associated with the certification.
- Exact certified content: the fixed reference that was certified.
- Certification date: when the certification was recorded.
- Current status: whether the certification is valid, revoked or superseded at the time of the check.
Always compare the received document with the certified reference before relying on it. The presence of a QR code alone is not proof of authenticity.
See the full verification walkthrough →Digital and Printed Documents
The same Certidox verification record can be accessed from digital PDFs, printed originals and copies, as long as the QR code remains readable.
For paper or scanned copies, recipients compare the content with the certified reference. A printed page is not expected to share the digital PDF's file-level hash.
Learn how recipients verify documents →Keep Control After Distribution
The certified reference remains unchanged, while its certification status can change. The certifying organization can revoke or supersede a certification, even after sharing the document.
See the status in your Certidox account
The management list displays the document's certification date, title, type and recorded status. In this historical screenshot, the certification was marked Active.
Revoke a certification when necessary
The revocation dialog provides an optional reason and a checkbox to notify people who previously scanned the document. The checkbox is not selected in this example.
Revoking a certification does not recall an already distributed PDF. People verifying it later see the updated status. Eligible previous verifiers may receive notifications if the certifier chooses to alert them.
Fixed certified content. Live status. Optional alerts.
Confidential by Design
Certified documents are encrypted on the certifier's computer, before their protected content reaches Certidox infrastructure.
Certidox servers do not store readable document content or decryption keys. Verification provides access to the certified reference without making the service a repository of readable documents.
Explore the confidentiality architecture →Automatic Document Certification
Organizations that certify high volumes of PDFs can integrate certification into their own systems through the Certidox API. Recipients can then verify the resulting documents through the same certification records.
Ask about Certidox API integration →Verify the Evidence Independently
Independent Verification Bundles enable technical reviewers to examine historical certified content, integrity evidence, timestamp information and verification tools without accepting the Certidox display as their only proof.
Historical evidence and current status are distinct. An offline bundle does not establish whether a certification is still valid now.
Explore Independent Verification Bundles →Try a Real Certified Document
This is the original two-page Certidox-certified PDF supplied with this page. Both pages are shown below. Download the PDF and scan its original QR code to check the current status, then compare the received content with the certified reference.
Important: The screenshots supplied for this page do not establish that this sample has been revoked. The certification's current status must be checked live; it is not determined by this webpage.
To check a QR code displayed on your own smartphone or tablet, see the Apple and Android instructions in How Certidox Works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does manual document certification require additional software?
No special installation is required to certify documents manually using the Certidox web platform.
Can I choose where the QR seal appears?
Yes. The certification screen allows you to choose an available seal design, the page, its position, and the top and right margins.
What can a recipient verify?
The recorded certifier or organization, the exact certified reference, the certification date and the current certification status. The recipient must compare the certified reference with the document received.
Can printed documents and photocopies be checked?
Yes. A readable Certidox QR code on a digital document, printed original or copy provides access to the certification record. The recipient then compares the content with the certified reference.
Can a certification be revoked after the document is distributed?
Yes. An authorized certifier can change the certification status after distribution without modifying the certified reference. The revocation screen also provides an optional notification to people who previously scanned the document.
Must I use the Certidox mobile app?
No. Certidox also supports verification on a computer with a camera and API-based checks in integrated systems. An Independent Verification Bundle permits independent examination of historical evidence. Current status is a separate live check through Certidox.
Does Certidox prove that every statement in a document is true?
No. Certidox provides verifiable certification records and a fixed reference for comparison. It does not independently guarantee the factual accuracy or legal validity of the content.
Does a downloadable evidence bundle show current validity?
No. A bundle allows independent examination of historical integrity and timestamp evidence. The current certification status must be checked live.
Make Your PDFs Verifiable
Certify the completed document, distribute it through existing channels, and let recipients verify its recorded details and certified content before relying on it.