How to Sign a PDF on Windows

Option 1: sign in the browser with SigPDF

1. Add the PDF. Drag it from File Explorer onto Drop your PDF here, or click the box and browse. Attachments from Outlook or Gmail need to be saved first.
2. Create your signature. Draw it with the mouse, touchpad, touchscreen or pen and click Use This Signature, or switch to Type, enter your name and pick a handwriting style. Ink can be black, blue or red.
3. Click the signature line. Move the mouse over the placed signature to reveal its resize corner and ×; drag the frame to fine-tune the position.
4. Add dates, initials and text. Add Date opens a date picker set to today, Add Initials takes up to five letters, Add Textanything else. Double-click a placed text item to edit it. Ctrl+Z and Ctrl+Y undo and redo.
5. Download. Confirm & Download Signed PDF saves yourfile-signed.pdf to Downloads. Without a plan you choose one first, then the download runs.

Multi-page contracts: move with Previous/Nextand click once per signature line. If you have a stack of documents that all need the same signature at the bottom of page 1, batch signing does them in one go.

Option 2: draw on the PDF in Microsoft Edge

Edge opens PDFs by default on most Windows 10 and 11 PCs. Microsoft’s documentation lists inking (with color and stroke width), highlighting, text notes and basic form filling among its PDF features.

1. Right-click the PDF in File Explorer → Open with → Microsoft Edge.
2. Fill in any form fields by clicking them.
3. Choose Draw in the PDF toolbar, set color and thickness, and write your signature on the line.
4. Save with the save icon or Ctrl+S (use Save as to keep the original unchanged).

The ink is freehand on the page: there is no typed signature and no reusable signature, and a mouse signature drawn straight onto a small line is hard to get neat. It is fine for an internal form; for a contract the browser editor or Acrobat gives a cleaner result.

Option 3: Adobe Acrobat Reader

If Acrobat Reader is installed, Adobe’s help describes signing with the Fill & Sign tool: open the PDF, choose Fill & Sign (or the Sign icon), add a signature or initials by typing, drawing or importing an image, and click where it should go. Reader is a large install and asks you to sign in to an Adobe account for some features, so it makes most sense if you already use it.

Getting a good signature with a mouse, touchpad or pen

• Mouse: sign slowly and larger than needed, moving from the elbow rather than the wrist, then shrink the placed signature.
• Touchpad: drawing means holding the click while you move, which few people manage well. Typing your name is usually the better choice.
• Touchscreen or Surface Pen: sign directly in the white box as you would on paper; this gives the most natural look.
• Paper signature: photograph it on white paper in good light and place it with Add Photo (PNG, JPEG or WebP).

Problems and fixes on Windows

• “This PDF is password-protected.” Open it with the password, print it to the Microsoft Print to PDF printer, and sign the new copy.
• “This PDF can’t be edited.” The file is damaged or unusual; printing it to a new PDF the same way usually fixes it.
• The PDF opens in the wrong app. Use right-click → Open with, or drag it into the browser window with the editor.
• You cannot find the signed file. Press Ctrl+J in Edge or Chrome to show recent downloads.

Also on a Mac? See how to sign a PDF on Mac. Using Linux? The Linux guide covers Xournal++ and LibreOffice.