# Before you sign a PDF

You can expedite the signing process and optimize your results by making the following preparations in advance:

- Obtain a digital ID, or create a self-signed digital ID in Reader.
  Note: You cannot create self-signed digital IDs from within FIPS mode.

- Set the default signing method.

- Create an appearance for your digital signature.

- Use Preview Document mode to suppress any dynamic content that may alter the appearance of the document and mislead you into signing something you shouldn’t.

- Review all the pages in a document before you sign. Documents may contain signature fields on multiple pages. When you sign one field, your signature appears in all occurrences of the field, whether you approve those pages or not.