Sign a PDF

Draw your signature, type it in a handwriting font or upload a photo of it, drag it onto any page of a PDF and save a signed copy without printing or scanning.

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About this tool

What is Sign PDF?

Sign a PDF lets you add your signature to a document without printing, signing and scanning it. Create the signature once by drawing it with a mouse, trackpad, finger or stylus, typing your name in one of five handwriting fonts, or uploading a photo of your signature on paper.

Then open the PDF, go to the page with the signature line, add the signature and drag it into place. Resize it with the corner handle, add it to other pages, or put it in the same spot on every page for initialling. When you save, the signature is flattened into the page so it looks the same in every PDF reader and prints.

The PDF and your signature stay in your browser. The only network request is for the handwriting fonts, which are downloaded from Google Fonts when you open the Type tab; your name and the document are not sent.

  • Draw, type (five handwriting fonts) or upload a signature
  • Black or blue ink, adjustable pen width
  • Automatic white background removal and trimming for photos
  • Drag to place and resize on a live page preview
  • Add to one page, several pages or the same spot on every page
  • Flattened into the page so it shows in every reader
  • Runs entirely in your browser: the PDF is read, edited and saved on your device and is never uploaded to a server.
Read the guide: How to Sign a PDF Electronically: Drawn, Typed and Digital Signatures

How to use Sign PDF

  1. Create your signature: draw it in the Draw tab, type your name and pick a handwriting style in the Type tab, or upload a photo in the Upload tab. Choose black or blue ink.
  2. Open the PDF to sign, or try the sample agreement. It opens on the last page, where signature lines usually are.
  3. Step to the right page and click Add signature to this page.
  4. Drag the signature onto the line and drag the red corner handle to resize it. Use Same spot on every page for initials.
  5. Click Sign and save PDF and download the signed copy.

Worked examples

Lease returned by email

Input

Typed signature in Great Vibes, placed on the last page

Output

lease_signed.pdf with the signature flattened onto page 12

No printer or scanner needed, and the rest of the lease is untouched.

Initials on every page

Input

Drawn initials, Same spot on every page at the bottom right

Output

Initials on all pages at the same relative position

Positions are stored as fractions of the page, so mixed page sizes still get the initials in the corner.

Photographed ink signature

Input

Phone photo of a signature on white paper, Remove white paper background on

Output

A transparent signature that sits on the line without a white box

Good light and a flat sheet give the cleanest result.

Background and insight

What this tool adds is a signature image, which in law is one form of electronic signature. The US ESIGN Act defines an electronic signature as an electronic sound, symbol or process attached to or logically associated with a record and adopted by a person with the intent to sign (15 U.S.C. 7006), and says a signature may not be denied legal effect solely because it is electronic (7001). Most US states apply the same rule through UETA, and the EU eIDAS Regulation (No 910/2014, Article 25) gives the same baseline to a simple electronic signature. Exceptions exist, for example wills, certain family law matters and court orders, and individual organisations can insist on other methods.

A digital signature is different: it uses a certificate and cryptography to bind the signer to the exact bytes of the document, so any later change is detectable (ISO 32000-1, section 12.8). eIDAS advanced and qualified signatures are of this kind. This tool does not create digital signatures; a signature image shows intent and is accepted for many everyday forms, leases, consent letters and invoices, but not where a recipient requires a certificate-based or wet-ink signature.

Uploaded photos are cleaned up automatically. Pixels close to white are made transparent with a soft edge, and the image is trimmed to the ink, so a signature on white paper sits on the page without a box around it. Drawn and typed signatures are made the same way, as a transparent PNG at high resolution.

Common use cases

  • Rental and HR forms

    Sign tenancy agreements, offer letters and policy acknowledgements that arrive as PDFs.

  • School and consent forms

    Sign permission slips and consent letters on a phone without a printer.

  • Invoices and delivery notes

    Add a signature to approvals and proof-of-delivery documents.

  • Initialling contracts

    Put initials on every page of a contract in one step.

Tips and limitations

  • Check what the recipient accepts. Some banks, notaries, courts and government bodies require a digital certificate or a wet-ink signature.
  • Fill in form fields before signing. Signing flattens the signature onto the page; it does not lock the rest of the document.
  • For the cleanest upload, sign with a dark pen on plain white paper and photograph it flat in daylight.
  • Typed signatures use web fonts from Google Fonts. If you are offline, the browser falls back to a generic cursive font.
  • Keep a copy of what you signed. A signature image does not prevent later changes to the PDF the way a digital signature does.
  • Encrypted PDFs cannot be modified; save an unprotected copy first.

Frequently asked questions

How do I sign a PDF without printing it?

Create a signature by drawing, typing or uploading it, open the PDF, add the signature to the right page, drag it onto the line and save. The signed PDF downloads to your device.

Is a drawn or typed signature on a PDF legally binding?

In the US (ESIGN and UETA) and the EU (eIDAS) an electronic signature cannot be refused just because it is electronic, and drawn or typed signatures usually count. Some documents, such as wills and certain court and family law papers, are excluded, and recipients can require other methods.

What is the difference between an electronic signature and a digital signature?

An electronic signature, like the image this tool adds, shows intent to sign. A digital signature uses a certificate and cryptography to prove who signed and that the file has not changed since. This tool makes the first kind.

Can I add my initials to every page?

Yes. Place the initials on one page, then click Same spot on every page. They are placed at the same relative position on all pages.

How do I remove the white background from my signature photo?

Upload it in the Upload tab with Remove white paper background turned on. Near-white pixels become transparent and the image is trimmed to the ink.

Is my signature stored or uploaded anywhere?

No. The signature and the PDF exist only in your browser tab and are discarded when you close it. Only the handwriting font files are fetched from Google Fonts in the Type tab.

Is there an in-depth guide to Sign PDF?

Yes. “How to Sign a PDF Electronically: Drawn, Typed and Digital Signatures” covers the background, how it works, common pitfalls and worked examples. Read the full guide.

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