Has this PDF been edited?
Drop in a PDF to see the traces a change leaves inside the file: later saves, the apps that touched it, text added on top and changes made after it was signed.
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Your file stays on this device. How do we know?
How it works
To tell if a PDF has been edited, drop it above. The checker reads the file's structure for the traces a change leaves: extra saves added to the end of the file, a gap between the created and changed dates, apps used to edit PDFs, the same font added twice, text typed on top of the page, and changes made after a digital signature. Each sign is explained. None of them proves a document is fake, and a clean result can't prove it's untouched. Checking is free.
What the checker looks for
| Sign | What it means |
|---|---|
| Saved again after it was made | Each save is added to the end of the file, and the earlier version usually stays inside |
| Changed some time after it was created | The created and last-changed dates are far apart |
| Saved by an app that edits PDFs | The file records an editor like iLovePDF, Smallpdf or Acrobat after the app that made it |
| The same font added more than once | Text in that font was often added in a later session |
| Text or marks on top of the page | Typed text, stamps or drawings placed over the original |
| Changed after it was signed | Something was saved after the digital signature |
| Two file IDs that differ | Often saved again after it was made, though some apps write two different IDs from the start |
The report also runs the hidden text checker, so an old amount covered by a white box shows up, and lists the author, dates and apps like the Word and PDF metadata viewer.
What it can and can't tell you
It reads the structure of the file, not the meaning of the content. It can show that a PDF was changed after it was made, by which app and roughly when. It can't tell you whether the change was innocent, like a form being filled in, or whether the figures were real in the first place.
A file with no signs only means nothing was recorded. Printing an edited PDF to a new PDF wipes the history, so the absence of signs is weaker evidence than their presence.
When to use it
When a PDF is supposed to be an untouched original: a bank statement or payslip from a rental applicant, an invoice that doesn't match what you agreed, a contract you want to compare with the signed version, or a certificate. If something looks off, don't accuse anyone on this alone. Ask for a fresh copy from the source, or for the file to be sent straight from the bank, employer or issuer.
Questions, answered
How can you tell if a PDF has been edited?
Look at what the file records about itself. A PDF saved again usually keeps the earlier version inside, the changed date moves on from the created date, and the editing app often leaves its name. Text added later can use a second copy of the same font. The checker above reads all of these at once.
Does a sign of editing mean the document is fake?
No. Filling in a form, signing, merging, compressing or simply saving again all leave some of the same traces. Treat the result as a reason to look closer, not as an answer. If a document matters, ask for a fresh copy from the source, like a statement downloaded from the bank's own site.
Can I check if a bank statement or invoice PDF was altered?
You can see whether the file shows signs of change since it was made, which is a useful first check. It can't confirm the numbers are real. Statements generated by a bank are usually saved once by one system, so a statement with later saves and an editing app in its history deserves a second look.
Can an edited PDF show no signs at all?
Yes. If someone edits a PDF and then prints it to a new PDF or rebuilds it from scratch, the new file starts with a clean history. That's why a clean result means nothing was recorded, not that nothing was changed.
What does changed after it was signed mean?
A digital signature covers the file as it was at the moment of signing. If more was saved afterwards, the extra part isn't covered. Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader and look at the Signature panel to see what changed since the signature.
Is my PDF uploaded to check it?
No. The PDF is read in your browser, on your own device. That matters here, because the files people check this way are often statements, contracts and payslips.
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