Add a Signature to a PDF

Draw your signature, type it in a handwriting style, or insert a scan of the one you write on paper, then put it exactly on the signature line. Works on computers, phones and tablets.

Draw, type or imageAny deviceFiles stay privateOriginal left untouched

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How to add a signature to a PDF, step by step

  1. Open the PDF in the editor above. Drop the file on the dashed box or click it to browse. The editor first checks that it can write to the file; password-protected PDFs are flagged at this point, not after you have signed.
  2. Create the signature in one of the ways described below and confirm it with Use This Signature. Signatures you made before in this browser are offered under Saved Signatures.
  3. Click or tap the signature line. The signature appears there in a frame. Drag the frame to move it; drag its lower-right corner to resize.
  4. Repeat where needed. Every further click places another copy, on this page or, after Next, on the following ones.
  5. Finish the form with Add Initials, Add Date and Add Text, and fill any form fields listed in the left panel.
  6. Download with Confirm & Download Signed PDF. You get a new file; the original is not changed. Downloading requires a plan.

Three ways to create the signature

Draw it

The Draw tab gives you a white signing box. A finger on a phone, a stylus on a tablet or a touchscreen laptop gives the most natural result; with a mouse, sign slowly and larger than needed. Clear empties the box. Choose black, blue or red before you start, because switching the color resets the box.

Type it

On the Type tab you enter your name and choose between four handwriting styles (Elegant, Formal, Casual and Flowing). The preview shows each style with your own name. This is the quickest option on a laptop touchpad and gives the same look on every document.

Insert an image of your real signature

If you want the signature you write by hand, put it on paper and add it as a picture:

  1. Sign in the middle of a sheet of plain white paper with a dark, fairly thick pen.
  2. Photograph it straight from above in even light, without shadows, or scan it.
  3. Crop the photo close to the signature. If you can, remove the background so the PNG is transparent.
  4. In the editor, reach the placing step, click Add Photo and choose the image (PNG, JPEG or WebP).
  5. Drag it onto the line and resize it with the corner handle.

Drawn and typed signatures are saved with a transparent background, so the line underneath stays visible. A JPEG photo keeps its white paper background and covers whatever is below it, which is why a transparent PNG looks better.

Problems people run into

  • White box around the signature. That is the paper background of a JPEG or non-transparent PNG. Use a transparent PNG, or draw or type the signature instead.
  • Signature too big or too small. Resize it with the corner handle after placing; the first size is only a starting point.
  • Placed on the wrong page. Remove it with the × (or Undo), switch pages and click again. The Placed Items list shows the page of every item.
  • Clicking the page places nothing. The signature has not been confirmed yet. Press Use This Signature (or pick a saved one) and click again.
  • The file is refused. Password-protected or damaged PDFs cannot be written. Open the file, print it to a new PDF (“Save as PDF” or “Microsoft Print to PDF”) and use that copy.

Signature image, e-signature or digital signature?

What this page adds is a simple electronic signature: a visible mark that you agreed to the document. That is what landlords, employers and most businesses ask for. A digital signature is something else: a certificate-based seal that proves who signed and that the file was not altered, required mainly in regulated processes. If a form says “digitally sign” but is an ordinary contract, ask whether a visible e-signature is enough; it usually is.

Privacy

The PDF is opened and signed inside your browser. It is not uploaded to SigPDF or anyone else, and the downloaded copy is written on your device. For contracts, medical forms or anything with ID numbers, that is safer than tools that process documents in the cloud.

Device-specific steps: iPhone, Android, Mac and Windows.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I add a signature to a PDF for free?
Built-in tools cost nothing: Preview on a Mac, Markup on iPhone and iPad, and the pen in Microsoft Edge or Google Drive. SigPDF is free to try, including placing the signature; downloading the signed PDF needs a plan (€2.99 a month or €24.99 a year).
How do I insert an image of my handwritten signature into a PDF?
Sign on white paper, photograph or scan it, and save it as PNG or JPEG. In the editor, open your PDF, create any signature to reach the placing step, then use Add Photo and choose the image. Drag and resize it onto the line. A PNG with a transparent background looks cleanest.
Is adding a signature image the same as a digital signature?
No. A signature image is an electronic signature: it shows that you signed. A digital signature is a certificate-based seal that also proves the file was not changed afterwards. Most contracts and forms only need the first.
Can I add a signature to several pages?
Yes. Go to each page with Previous and Next and tap or click the line; each click places the active signature again. For the same signature at the bottom of page 1 of many files, use batch signing.
Does adding a signature change my original file?
No. The editor writes a new file named after the original with “-signed” added. Your original PDF stays untouched.
Is a signature added this way legally valid?
For most documents, yes. The US ESIGN Act and the EU eIDAS Regulation both prevent a signature from being rejected only because it is electronic. Wills, some court and family-law papers, and documents that must be notarised are common exceptions.

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