{"schemaVersion":1,"kind":"article","path":"/help/en-us/articles/verify-a-completed-document/","htmlLang":"en-US","localeRoute":"en-us","slug":"verify-a-completed-document","title":"Verify a completed document | Sign For Free Help Center","description":"Check a completed Sign For Free PDF and its audit certificate in the browser-based verifier.","chrome":{"brandLabel":"Sign For Free","helpCenterLabel":"Help Center","skipLabel":"Skip to main content","publicNavigationLabel":"Sign For Free navigation","publicNavigation":[{"href":"/#features","label":"Features"},{"href":"/#pricing","label":"Pricing"},{"href":"/verify","label":"Verify"},{"href":"/blog","label":"Blog"},{"href":"/help/en-us/","label":"Help Center"}],"loginAction":{"href":"/envelopes","label":"Log in"},"createAction":{"href":"/envelopes/new","label":"Get started"},"languageLabel":"Help language","themeLabel":"Theme","themeModes":{"system":"System theme","light":"Light theme","dark":"Dark theme"},"localeOptions":[{"route":"en-us","htmlLang":"en-US","label":"English","href":"/help/en-us/articles/verify-a-completed-document/"},{"route":"ko-kr","htmlLang":"ko-KR","label":"한국어","href":"/help/ko-kr/articles/verify-a-completed-document/"},{"route":"ja-jp","htmlLang":"ja-JP","label":"日本語","href":"/help/ja-jp/articles/verify-a-completed-document/"},{"route":"ru-ru","htmlLang":"ru-RU","label":"Русский","href":"/help/ru-ru/articles/verify-a-completed-document/"},{"route":"de-de","htmlLang":"de-DE","label":"Deutsch","href":"/help/de-de/articles/verify-a-completed-document/"},{"route":"fr-fr","htmlLang":"fr-FR","label":"Français","href":"/help/fr-fr/articles/verify-a-completed-document/"},{"route":"zh-tw","htmlLang":"zh-TW","label":"繁體中文","href":"/help/zh-tw/articles/verify-a-completed-document/"},{"route":"zh-cn","htmlLang":"zh-CN","label":"简体中文","href":"/help/zh-cn/articles/verify-a-completed-document/"},{"route":"es-es","htmlLang":"es-ES","label":"Español","href":"/help/es-es/articles/verify-a-completed-document/"}],"footerGroups":[{"title":"Product","links":[{"href":"/verify","label":"Verify"},{"href":"/#pricing","label":"Pricing"},{"href":"/licenses","label":"Open-source licenses"}]},{"title":"Resources","links":[{"href":"/blog","label":"Blog"},{"href":"/help/en-us/","label":"Help Center"}]},{"title":"Compare","links":[{"href":"/blog/free-docusign-alternative","label":"Sign For Free vs DocuSign"}]},{"title":"Legal","links":[{"href":"/legality","label":"E-signature legality"},{"href":"/legal-docs/terms","label":"Terms of Service"},{"href":"/legal-docs/privacy","label":"Privacy Policy"},{"href":"/legal-docs/cookie-policy","label":"Cookie Policy"},{"href":"/cookie-settings","label":"Privacy choices"},{"href":"/legal-docs/account-deletion","label":"Delete your account"}]}],"footerTagline":"Sign simply. Keep the proof.","verifyLabel":"Verify"},"breadcrumbsLabel":"Breadcrumb","breadcrumbs":[{"href":"/help/en-us/","label":"Help Center"},{"label":"Verify a completed document"}],"eyebrow":"Verification","headline":"Verify a completed document","summary":[{"kind":"text","value":"Use the browser-based verifier to check whether a completed PDF matches its Sign For Free audit evidence."}],"role":"sender recipient signer reviewer","plan":"free basic","platform":"web","categoryId":"verify-keep-evidence","metadata":[{"kind":"element","tag":"dl","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"div","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"dt","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Role"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"dd","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Sender, Recipient, Signer, or document reviewer"}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"div","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"dt","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Plan"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"dd","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Free and Basic"}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"div","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"dt","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Platform"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"dd","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Modern web browser"}]}]}]}],"sections":[{"sectionId":"before-you-start","title":"Before you start","content":[{"kind":"element","tag":"ul","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Download the completed PDF and "},{"kind":"element","tag":"code","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"audit_trail.pdf"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" from the same completion email."}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Keep the original attachments unchanged. Editing or re-exporting either PDF may cause verification to fail."}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"The unsigned source PDF is optional. Add it only if you want the verifier to check it against the recorded source-document hash."}]}]}]},{"sectionId":"steps","title":"Run verification","content":[{"kind":"element","tag":"ol","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"h3","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Open the verifier"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"p","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Go to "},{"kind":"element","tag":"a","attributes":{"href":"https://signforfree.com/verify"},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"signforfree.com/verify"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" in a current browser."}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"h3","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Add the completed document"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"p","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Under "},{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Completed document (PDF)"}]},{"kind":"text","value":", select the signed PDF from the completion email."}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"h3","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Add the audit certificate"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"p","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Under "},{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Audit Trail (PDF)"}]},{"kind":"text","value":", select "},{"kind":"element","tag":"code","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"audit_trail.pdf"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" from the same email."}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"h3","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Add the original document if needed"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"p","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Under "},{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Original document (optional)"}]},{"kind":"text","value":", select the unsigned source PDF only if you want that additional integrity check."}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"h3","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Start the checks"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"p","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Select "},{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Verify"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" and keep the page open while the browser examines the files."}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"h3","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Review the result"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"p","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Read the overall result and every individual "},{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"PASS"}]},{"kind":"text","value":", "},{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"FAIL"}]},{"kind":"text","value":", or "},{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"SKIPPED"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" check. If needed, select "},{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Export result JSON"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" to save the technical result."}]}]}]}]},{"sectionId":"what-happens-next","title":"What happens next","content":[{"kind":"element","tag":"p","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"PASS — authentic"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" means the supplied files passed the verifier's applicable integrity and audit-evidence checks. "},{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"FAIL / INCOMPLETE"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" means at least one required check failed or could not be completed; review the individual check cards before relying on the files."}]}]},{"sectionId":"warnings-and-limitations","title":"Warnings and limitations","content":[{"kind":"element","tag":"ul","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Your PDF files are processed in your browser and are not sent to the Sign For Free backend. The verifier may contact a whitelisted external source to look up a public key."}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"A passing result supports file-integrity and audit-evidence review. It does not establish a Signer's legal identity, legal enforceability, notarization, or qualified electronic signature status."}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Where shown by the result, certificate-chain trust, an independent trusted timestamp, and certificate revocation status may remain unestablished. Do not interpret those results as a higher PAdES level than the checks report."}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Verify the original emailed attachments. A visually identical PDF that was printed, edited, optimized, or re-exported may have different bytes."}]}]}]},{"sectionId":"troubleshooting","title":"Troubleshooting","content":[{"kind":"element","tag":"dl","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"div","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"dt","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"No embedded audit payload was found"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"dd","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Confirm that you placed "},{"kind":"element","tag":"code","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"audit_trail.pdf"}]},{"kind":"text","value":", not the completed document, in the "},{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Audit Trail (PDF)"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" field."}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"div","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"dt","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"A check reports FAIL or INCOMPLETE"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"dd","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Do not treat the files as verified. Use fresh attachments from the same completion email and follow "},{"kind":"element","tag":"a","attributes":{"href":"/help/en-us/articles/troubleshoot-a-failed-verification/"},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Troubleshoot a failed verification"}]},{"kind":"text","value":"."}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"div","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"dt","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Public key required"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"dd","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Use only a trusted published 32-byte Ed25519 public key whose fingerprint matches the one shown. Paste its Base64 value, then select "},{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Use this key"}]},{"kind":"text","value":"."}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"div","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"dt","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"The browser is unsupported"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"dd","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Update your browser or try a current version of another modern browser."}]}]}]}]},{"sectionId":"related-articles","title":"Related articles","content":[{"kind":"element","tag":"ul","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"a","attributes":{"href":"/help/en-us/articles/troubleshoot-a-failed-verification/"},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Troubleshoot a failed verification"}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"a","attributes":{"href":"/help/en-us/articles/save-your-completed-pdf-and-audit-certificate/"},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Save your completed PDF and audit certificate"}]}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"li","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"a","attributes":{"href":"/help/en-us/articles/understand-envelopes-senders-recipients-signers-and-audit-trails/"},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Understand Envelopes, Senders, Recipients, Signers, and audit trails"}]}]}]}]},{"sectionId":"support","title":"Still need help?","content":[{"kind":"element","tag":"p","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Keep both original attachments and the exported result JSON, then ask the Sender for fresh completion files if any required check still fails."}]}]}],"footerMeta":[{"kind":"element","tag":"p","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Last reviewed:"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" July 22, 2026"}]},{"kind":"element","tag":"p","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"element","tag":"strong","attributes":{},"children":[{"kind":"text","value":"Product version:"}]},{"kind":"text","value":" Web verifier, July 2026"}]}]}