How to sign a PDF without printing it
Draw or upload your signature, place it on the page, and send the PDF back in minutes.
Someone sends you a contract, a lease or a consent form as a PDF and asks you to sign it. Printing it, signing with a pen and scanning it back takes a printer, a scanner and about twenty minutes. Signing it on screen takes two.
What you need
Just the PDF and a browser. The Edit PDF tool lets you draw a signature with a mouse, trackpad or finger, or upload a photo of your real signature, and place it anywhere on any page. The PDF is not uploaded anywhere; everything happens on your device.
Step by step
- Open the Edit PDF tool and drop in the PDF. Every page appears as a thumbnail.
- If the document has form fields for your name and date, fill them in first in the Form fields section.
- In the Signature section, draw your signature in the pad, or upload an image of it.
- Choose the page, then click on the page preview where the signature should go. Adjust the width until it looks right on the signature line.
- For agreements that need initials on every page, tick every page.
- Save the edited PDF and send it back.
Making your signature look real
Drawn signatures with a mouse tend to look shaky. Two better options:
- A photo of your real signature. Sign on white paper with a dark pen, photograph it in good light, crop it tightly and upload it. A PNG with a transparent background looks cleanest, but a crop with a clean white background also looks fine on most documents, which are white too.
- A finger or stylus on a phone or tablet. Much closer to handwriting than a mouse.
Is it legally valid?
A signature image placed on a PDF is treated much like printing, signing and scanning. For most everyday paperwork, such as leases, supplier agreements, consent forms and HR documents, that is what the other party expects. In many countries, electronic signatures are recognised in law for most contracts. Some documents, though, need a stronger form: certain property transactions, wills, and anything where the other side specifically asks for a certified or qualified digital signature with identity verification. If a document says it requires a particular e-signature service, use that service. If you are unsure, ask the person who sent it.
Locking the document after signing
If you filled in form fields, choose Lock values before saving. The answers are then flattened into the page and can no longer be edited. It is also sensible to keep a copy of exactly what you signed.
Why sign in the browser
Contracts contain names, addresses, ID numbers and bank details. Many online signing tools upload the document to their servers and some keep it. Signing locally means the only copies are the one you received and the one you send back.