PDF Editing

How to Sign a PDF Document

Last updated · By the PDFSolution team

Printing a document to sign it, scanning it back and emailing a crooked grey photocopy is a habit worth losing. Placing a signature directly on the page produces a cleaner document in a fraction of the time.

Be clear about what this is. Drawing or typing a signature creates an electronic signature — a visible mark accepted for a great many everyday agreements. It is not a cryptographic digital signature backed by a certificate, which is a different mechanism used where identity has to be provable. If a counterparty specifies a certificate-based signature, this is not a substitute.

Ready to do it now? Open the tool this guide describes.

Sign PDF

Step by step

  1. 1

    Open Sign PDF and add the document

    The file stays on your device; signing happens in the browser.

  2. 2

    Create your signature

    Draw it with a mouse, trackpad or finger, or type your name and pick a style. A finger on a phone screen usually gives the most natural line.

  3. 3

    Place and size it

    Drop the signature on the signature line, then scale it so it sits naturally rather than dominating the page. Add the date nearby if the document expects one.

  4. 4

    Download the signed file

    The signature is merged into the page and the document is ready to send.

Useful tips

  • Sign on a touchscreen if you can; a mouse-drawn signature rarely looks like your own.
  • Keep the signature to a sensible height — roughly the height of two lines of body text reads correctly.
  • Flatten the page count first: sign after merging and reordering, so you are signing the final document.

Common problems

My signature looks shaky
Draw it larger than you need and scale it down when placing it; the wobble shrinks with it.
The recipient says it must be digitally signed
They mean a certificate-based signature. That requires a certificate issued to you and dedicated signing software.
The PDF is a form and won't accept the signature
Try the PDF Forms tool for interactive fields, or place the signature on top of the flattened page.

Frequently asked questions

Is an electronic signature legally valid?
In many jurisdictions electronic signatures are accepted for a wide range of agreements, but the rules and the exceptions vary by country and by document type. For anything consequential, take advice rather than relying on a tool's FAQ.
Is my document uploaded?
No. Signing happens entirely in your browser.
Is my signature image stored anywhere?
It exists in the page while you work and is written into the document you download. It is not sent to a server.
Can somebody remove the signature?
A merged signature is page content, but it offers no proof of identity. For tamper evidence you need a certificate-based signature.
Can I sign on my phone?
Yes, and drawing with a finger usually gives the best result.

Related guides

  • How to Edit a PDFPDFs were designed to be final. Here is what can realistically be edited, and the fastest route for each kind of change.
  • How to Password-Protect a PDFEncrypt a document before you send it — and avoid the mistakes that make the password pointless.
  • How to Add a Watermark to a PDFMarking drafts and internal copies clearly — and being realistic about what a watermark actually prevents.