Put your signature on a PDF

What signing a PDF means here

This tool places an image of your signature on a page of the PDF, the same way you would sign a printed page with a pen and then scan it. You can create the signature in three ways: draw it with a mouse or finger, type your name and pick a script-style font, or upload an image of your handwritten signature. You then move and resize it on any page, and optionally add the date and short text fields such as a place or a title.

It is important to be clear about what the result is. The saved file contains a picture of a signature on the page. It is not a cryptographic or certified digital signature. It carries no certificate, does not lock the document against later changes and cannot prove to a third party who placed it. Whether such a signature is accepted depends on the country and on the kind of document.

For many everyday cases, such as returning a signed rental form, an internal approval or a school permission slip, a visual signature is what the recipient asks for. For documents that legally require a qualified electronic signature, you need a certified signing service instead.

Visual signature, electronic signature, digital signature

The words are often used loosely, but they describe three different things. A visual signature is the picture of your name or handwriting on the page, which is what this tool creates. An electronic signature is a broader legal idea: any electronic way of showing that you agree, which can be as simple as a typed name or a ticked box, depending on the law. A digital signature in the strict sense uses a certificate and cryptography to bind your identity to the exact content of the file, and it shows a warning if anything changes afterwards.

Simple electronic signatures are widely accepted for everyday agreements in many countries, but some documents, such as certain property, notary or government filings, require a higher level. If you are unsure, ask the person or organisation requesting the signature what they accept before you sign.

Making a signature that looks right

The quality of the result depends on how the signature is created. A drawing made with a mouse tends to look shaky, while one drawn on a touchscreen or with a stylus looks closer to real handwriting.

• For a natural look, sign on white paper with a dark pen, photograph it in good light, remove the background and upload the result as a transparent PNG.
• Draw slowly and keep the signature large on the canvas; you can scale it down afterwards without losing detail.
• Typed signatures are neat and legible but obviously generic; consider whether the recipient expects a handwritten one.
• Place the signature so it sits on the line and does not cover printed text such as the signer's name.

Keeping a signed PDF safe

Once signed, the file is an ordinary PDF that someone could still edit. If you want to discourage that, Flatten PDF turns any form fields into fixed page content, and Protect PDF adds a password and permission limits, although those limits are only enforced by cooperating software. When the form itself has fields, fill them with Fill PDF Form before you add the signature, so nothing changes after you have signed.