The short answer
Drop the PDF into the tool below. Use the arrows to go to the page that needs your signature and press Add signature. Choose Draw, Type or Upload, create the signature and press Place signature. Drag it onto the line, resize it from the corner, add the date with Add date if the form asks for it, and press Download signed PDF.
The signed copy is saved as a new file with signed added to its name. Your original file stays as it was, so you can sign it again if something is off.
Try it here: Sign PDF
Open the full tool pageDrawn, typed or photographed: which signature to use
All three end up as a picture of your signature on the page. They differ in how close they look to the signature you use on paper.
- Draw: write your signature with a mouse, a finger on a touch screen or a stylus. On a phone or tablet this looks the most natural. With a mouse, sign larger and slower than you would on paper; the tool trims the empty space around it.
- Type: type your name and pick one of the handwriting styles. It is quick and always legible, but it does not look like your personal signature. Fine for internal approvals, less so for documents where the signature is compared with an ID.
- Upload: sign on a white sheet of paper, take a photo and choose the image (PNG, JPG or WebP). Leave Remove white background on so only the ink remains and the paper does not show as a white box over the form lines. This gives the most authentic result.
- Ink color: black, blue or red. Blue is common in some countries to distinguish an original signature from a copy; black is the safe default.
Adding the date, your name and other text
Many forms want the date and place next to the signature. Add date inserts today's date written out in full in the page's language, for example October 26, 2026, which avoids the confusion between 10/11 and 11/10. Add text places any text, such as your printed name, a city or the words Read and approved, with a size and color you choose.
Every item can be moved with the mouse or a finger, resized from the corner, moved precisely with the arrow keys and removed with the Delete key. You can place several items on different pages before downloading, for example initials on every page and the full signature on the last one.
Electronic signature vs digital signature
These terms are often mixed up, and the difference matters when a document has legal weight. This is a general overview, not legal advice.
| Type | What it is | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Simple electronic signature | An image of a signature, a typed name or a ticked box | Everyday forms, school notes, delivery notes, many business agreements |
| Advanced electronic signature | Uniquely linked to the signer, changes to the document are detectable | Business contracts where proof of identity matters |
| Qualified electronic signature | Advanced signature based on a qualified certificate, often on a card or token | Official filings, notarial or court documents, cases where the law requires it |
Is an image signature legally valid?
In many countries an electronic signature cannot be refused just because it is electronic. In the United States the ESIGN Act and state laws based on UETA recognize electronic signatures for most transactions. In the European Union the eIDAS regulation defines the three levels in the table above, and only a qualified electronic signature automatically has the same effect as a handwritten one. Other countries have similar laws, often with exceptions for wills, real estate transfers and documents that require a notary.
In practice, the recipient decides what they accept. Landlords, schools, employers and many companies accept a signed PDF by email. Banks, courts and public authorities sometimes require a qualified or certificate based signature, which only a trust service provider can issue. If you are unsure, ask the recipient before you sign. The tool on this page creates a simple electronic signature: a picture of your signature on the page, not a certificate.
Other ways to sign on your device
- Mac: open the PDF in Preview, show the Markup toolbar and use the Sign button. You can create a signature with the trackpad, the camera or an iPhone.
- iPhone and iPad: open the PDF in Files or Mail, tap the Markup button, then the plus button and Add Signature.
- Windows: the free Adobe Acrobat Reader has a Fill and Sign feature. The PDF viewer in Edge lets you draw on the page, but placing and resizing a signature is easier in a dedicated tool.
- Android: there is no system wide signing feature, so use this page in your browser or an app from your PDF viewer.
- Any device: the tool above works the same in every modern browser and needs no app or account.
Tips and common problems
- The signature looks too small or too big: drag the corner handle. Aim for roughly the height of two lines of text.
- A white box covers the line: you uploaded a photo with Remove white background turned off. Turn it on and place the signature again.
- The form fields are empty after signing: fill in the form in your PDF reader and save it first, then sign the saved file.
- The PDF will not open: it is probably password protected. Remove the password in your PDF reader first.
- Keep a copy of what you sent, and do not send your bare signature image to anyone who does not need it.