Quick answer: Open the Sign PDF tool and upload your file. Click Create signature to draw your signature, type your name or upload a photo of your signature on paper. Tap the page where it should go, then click Sign PDF to download the signed copy. It works the same on a phone or a computer, with no account. The result is a visual signature, not a certified e-signature; more on that below.
A tenancy agreement from your landlord, a school trip consent form, a job offer marked “please sign and return”: if there’s no printer to hand, you can sign and send it back from your phone or laptop in a few minutes.
Before you sign
- Read it to the end and check names, dates, amounts and addresses.
- Fill in the blanks first. Add a date or address with the online PDF editor, then sign last.
- Ask what they accept. A PDF with a visual signature, a certified e-signature or a wet-ink original? One question now saves a “we can’t accept this” later.
Step by step: adding your signature to a PDF
- Upload the PDF on the Sign PDF page (up to 25 MB). If it’s password-protected, remove the password first with the Unlock PDF tool.
- Click Create signature, pick one of the three methods below, then click Use signature.
- Place it. Go to the right page and tap where the signature belongs. Drag to move it, resize it from its corner, or remove it with the × on it. On a computer the keyboard works too: Enter adds it, the arrow keys move it, Shift+arrow resizes it and Delete removes it.
- Click Sign PDF. Open the downloaded file (its name ends in “_signed”) and check the signature sits on the right line of the right page.
The signature is added on top of the page as an image. The text underneath stays selectable and the rest of the document is untouched.
Three methods: Draw, Type, Upload
| Method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Draw | Sign inside the box with your finger or mouse. | A quick signature on a phone’s touchscreen. |
| Type | Type your name and pick one of three handwriting styles. | Simple consent forms, and initials. |
| Upload | Choose a photo (PNG or JPG) of your signature on white paper. | Looking exactly like your pen-and-ink signature. |
Drawn and typed signatures come in black, navy or blue ink. Mouse-drawn signatures often look shaky, so on a computer Upload usually gives a cleaner result.
How to photograph your signature on paper
In the Upload tab, the white background is removed automatically and the empty space around the signature is cropped. The cleaner the white, the better; shadowy or grey patches may not turn fully transparent.
- Plain white paper: ruled lines or squares can end up in your document.
- A dark, slightly thick pen: a black or navy gel pen beats a faint biro.
- Sign a little bigger than usual: shrinking looks better than enlarging.
- Daylight, no flash: flash causes glare, and in dim light the paper turns grey.
- No phone shadow: let the light come from the side and hold the phone parallel to the paper.
- Crop in close: keep the desk and your fingers out of the frame.
The image can be up to 15 MB. If an iPhone photo saved as HEIC won’t upload, convert the HEIC to JPG first.
Initialling every page
Contracts often ask for initials on every page. Place your signature on one page and tick Add the first signature to every page. It’s added in the same position on every page, and a dashed preview shows where it will land on the others before you download.
Two details matter. With this option ticked, only the first signature you placed is used. And each run uses one signature image: change it, and every placed signature switches to the new one. So for initials on every page plus a full signature on the last, work in two rounds:
- In the Type tab, enter your initials. Place them in an empty corner clear of the text, tick the option and download.
- Upload that file again and place your full signature on the last page.
Sending the signed PDF back
- Email: attach the PDF, with the document name and date in the subject line.
- WhatsApp and other messengers: send it as a document, not as a photo or screenshot, which blurs the text and splits the pages.
- Supporting documents: combine everything into one file with Merge PDF.
- Personal details: add an opening password with Protect PDF and send the password separately. To share a copy with some details hidden, see how to redact a PDF properly.
Important: a visual signature is not a certified e-signature
The tool adds an image of your handwritten signature. It isn’t certificate-based, and it doesn’t lock the document against later changes.
Laws draw this line differently. In the EU, the eIDAS regulation says an electronic signature can’t be denied legal effect just because it’s electronic, but only a qualified electronic signature, based on a qualified certificate from a trust service provider, has the same legal effect as a handwritten one. In the US, the ESIGN Act likewise says a signature can’t be denied legal effect solely because it’s electronic.
In practice: if the other party accepts a visually signed PDF, as many landlords, schools and employers do, this tool does the job. If they ask for a certified e-signature, a particular signing platform or a wet-ink original, it won’t be enough. This is general information, not legal advice.
If the PDF you received already carries the sender’s certificate-based e-signature, adding anything changes the document and can make that signature fail verification. Ask the sender how they’d like you to sign.
Privacy
Your signature is created in your browser, sent only to be added to this PDF and never saved to an account. The uploaded PDF is deleted once processing finishes; the signed one is deleted automatically within about 10 minutes. On your side, don’t leave photos of your signature in shared folders: images are easy to copy.
Other ways: apps and built-in tools
These need an app or a specific device, and they add a visual signature too, so the same caveat applies.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader: the free Fill & Sign tool lets you type, draw or add your signature from an image, in the desktop program or the mobile app.
- iPhone and iPad: open the PDF in the Files app, tap the Markup (pen tip) icon, then the plus (+) button to add a signature drawn with your finger.
- Preview on a Mac: use the Sign button in the Markup toolbar and create the signature on the trackpad, with the camera or on a nearby iPhone or iPad.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sign a PDF on my phone?
Yes. In the Draw tab, sign with your finger and tap the page to place it. No app needed; it works in the browser on Android and iPhone.
I put the signature in the wrong place. What now?
Before downloading, drag it elsewhere or remove it with the ×. If you notice after downloading, start again from the original PDF.
How many signatures can I add?
Up to 60 placed one by one, or one signature on every page. Files can be up to 25 MB and 5,000 pages.
Is it free?
Yes, with no account needed. Guests have a 24-hour usage allowance per tool; a free account lets you process more files.
Ready to sign?
Document read and blanks filled in? Open the Sign PDF tool, create your signature, place it and send the signed PDF back in minutes.
