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Digitally Sign a Microsoft Word Document

Before you begin digitally signing documents, please ask your Technical Support team to verify the digital signature settings on your computer by following the steps in the Verify Digital Signature Settings section below.

This guide will walk you through the steps for digitally signing a document in Microsoft Word 2010, 2013, or 2016 using your PIV credential or digital certificate.

Add a Digital Signature Using a Signature Line

  1. To add a digital signature, open your Microsoft Word document and click where you’d like to add your signature line.
  2. From the Word ribbon, select the Insert tab and then click Signature Line in the Text group.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word ribbon with the Insert tab and the Signature Line option highlighted.

  3. A Signature Setup pop-up box appears. Enter your information in the text fields and click OK.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word Signature Setup box.

  4. Double-click the signature line.
    A screenshot of a Microsoft Word signature line.

  5. A Sign pop-up box appears. At the X, type your name. Next, look at the Signing as: field. Select the signing certificate. To ensure that this is the correct certificate, click the Change button.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word sign box.

  6. Click on Click here to view certificate properties.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word Select a Certificate box.

  7. The Certificate Details box appears. Go to the Details tab and scroll down to Key Usage. Single-click on it. The lower text box should now display Digital Signature, Non-Repudiation. If it does, then this is the right certificate. Click OK.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word Certificate Details window with the Details tab showing and highlighted.

  8. If this is the wrong certificate, click OK. Then click More Choices to see other certificates. Select another certificate and repeat these steps until you find the correct certificate.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word Select a Certificate windo.

  9. Click the Sign button to sign the document. Insert your PIV card into the card reader. Enter your smart card (PIV) PIN and click OK.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word Windows Security Smart Card window.

  10. The Signature Confirmation box tells you that Word saved your digital signature. Click OK.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word Signature Confirmation window.

A screenshot of the Microsoft Word Marked as Final box.

Once you’ve digitally signed your document, if you edit it, Word will remove the digital signature. Don’t worry. You can always go back to Step 1 and digitally sign it again.

Add an Invisible Digital Signature

You can add an invisible digital signature to prevent your name from appearing in a document.

  1. Open your document and click the File tab.

  2. Click Info and then click Protect Document.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word Info pane with the Protect Document option highlighted.

  3. From the Protect Document drop-down menu, click Add a Digital Signature.

  4. Select a Commitment Type, such as created and approved this document, and then click Sign.
    A screenshot of a Microsoft Word Sign window with the Sign button highlighted.

  5. Insert your PIV card into the card reader. Enter your smart card (PIV) PIN and click OK.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word Windows Security Smart Card window.

  6. The Signature Confirmation box tells you that Word saved your digital signature. Click OK.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word Signature Confirmation window.

Add Multiple Digital Signatures Using Signature Lines

Once you digitally sign a document, you can have others also digitally sign it. (Note:   If you are the first approver, you should create the signature lines for all of the approvers. Then send the document to the second approver.)

  1. If you are the second (or other) approver, open the document you’ve received. Double-click your signature line to sign. Follow Steps 4 through 10 from Add a Digital Signature Using a Signature Line.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word ribbon with the Insert tab and the Signature Line option highlighted.

  2. A Signature Setup pop-up box appears. Enter your information in the text fields and click OK.
    A screenshot of a Microsoft Word Signature Setup box.

  3. Double-click your signature line.
    A screenshot of two Microsoft Word signature lines with the persons' names highlighted and their titles below their names.

  4. A Sign pop-up box appears. At the X, type your name.

  5. Next, look at the Signing as: field. You should see your name and certificate information. If you don’t, click the Change button to select a different certificate and click Sign.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word sign box.

  6. Insert your PIV card and enter your smart card (PIV) PIN. Click OK.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word Windows Security Smart Card window.

  7. The Signature Confirmation box tells you that Word saved your digital signature. Click OK.
    A screenshot of the Microsoft Word Signature Confirmation window.

  8. Send the digitally signed document to the next approver.

Each successive approver will be able to open the document and double-click the Signature Line with his/her name and complete the signing process.

Add Multiple Invisible Digital Signatures

Multiple approvers may digitally sign a document. Use the same procedures as you would to add one invisible digital signature: Add an Invisible Digital Signature.

The final approver will see multiple “invisible” signatures in the document.
A screenshot of a Microsoft Word Valid Signatures box, with two names highlighted and dates beside the names.

View Digital Signatures

If you use Word 2013 and open a digitally signed Word 2007 or 2010 document, you may have compatibility issues.


You can view digital signatures in an incompatible Word document in one of two ways:

Click the View Signatures button just below the Word ribbon.
A screenshot of the Microsoft Word ribbon with the View Signatures option highlighted.

OR

Click the File tab and select Info. Then click View Signatures.
A screenshot of the Microsoft Word Info pane with the View Signatures option highlighted.

For either option, you will be able to see the digital signature details in the Signatures box.
A screenshot of a Microsoft Word Signature Details box.

Remove a Digital Signature

  1. If you want to remove a digital signature, open your Word document and go to the signature line.
  2. If there is no signature line, click the View Signatures button just below the Word ribbon.
  3. From the Signatures box, select the signature you want to to delete.
    A screenshot of a Microsoft Word Signature Details box.
  4. Right-click on the signature and then click Remove Signature.
  5. When prompted, click Yes.
    A screenshot of a Microsoft Word Remove Signature box.

Verify Digital Signature Settings

Please ask your Technical Support staff for help. Administrator privileges are required for these steps.

By default, Microsoft Word uses the SHA-1 hash algorithm to generate digital signatures. The SHA-1 hash algorithm is no longer considered secure. More secure hash algorithms, such as SHA-256, should be used. (See NIST’s guidance on hash functions)

You can use either option below to verify/change the hash algorithm settings for Microsoft Office:

  1. Group Policy settings: Use Digital Signatures with Office 2016. (For additional information, consult Microsoft’s technical documents.)
  2. Computer registry settings. Change the Microsoft Office signature algorithm, as follows:
Word 2010:  Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\14.0\common\signatures
Word 2013:  Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\15.0\common\signatures
Word 2016:  Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\16.0\common\signatures
  • Add or update these values:
Value Name signaturehashalg
Value Type REG_SZ
Value sha256
  • Save the registry settings and restart the computer.

(For additional information, consult Microsoft’s technical documents.)

Additional Resources

  1. Add or Remove Digital Signature in Office Files
  2. XML Digital Signature
  3. Digital Signatures in Office 2010
  4. Use Digital Signatures with Office 2016
  5. NIST Policy on Hash Functions

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