How to sign a PDF without printing it

Sign on screen instead of on paper

Printing a document just to sign it, then scanning it back in, takes time and usually leaves you with a crooked, grey copy. You can place your signature directly on the PDF instead, along with your initials and the date.

Open Sign PDF. It is free and needs no account.

Sign a PDF, step by step

1. Choose or drop the PDF you need to sign.
2. Go to the page that needs your signature, select Signature and create it. Draw it with a mouse, finger or stylus, Type your name, or Upload a photo of your signature. Choose black or blue ink, then select Use it.
3. The signature is added to the page you are looking at. Drag it into place and use the corner handle to resize it so it sits on the line.
4. Add Initials the same way wherever the document asks for them. For the date, select Date and click where it should go.
5. Select Save signed PDF. Open the download and check every page you signed before you send it.

To sign more documents later, tick Remember on this device when you create your signature. It is stored only in that browser. Select Forget to remove it, and skip the option altogether on a shared or public computer.

Getting a signature that looks right

Each method has its strengths:

• Draw feels most like signing on paper. On a laptop trackpad, go slowly. A phone or tablet with a finger or stylus usually gives a smoother line.
• Type gives a clean, consistent result. It is a good choice for routine forms where a neat, legible signature matters more than handwriting.
• Upload uses your real signature. Sign a sheet of plain white paper with a dark pen, photograph it in even light and fill most of the frame. The tool removes the white paper and keeps only the ink.

Keep the signature about the size you would write it on paper. A signature stretched across half the page looks odd and can cover printed text.

Fill in the form before you sign

If the document has boxes to complete, fill them in first with Fill Out PDF, save that copy, then open it in Sign PDF. Signing last means the signature goes on the finished version of the document.

If a document has lines to write on but no fields, use Edit PDF to type onto it. See how to fill in a PDF form for the details.

What this kind of signature does and does not prove

Sign PDF places an image of your signature on the page, just as ink goes on paper. In many places, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union, this kind of simple electronic signature is accepted for most everyday agreements: rental applications, permission slips, work forms and so on.

It is not a certificate-based digital signature. It does not cryptographically prove who signed the file or that nothing changed afterwards. Some documents, such as wills and certain property or court documents, have their own signing rules. If the sender asks for a "digital signature", a witness or a particular signing service, use what they ask for. If you are unsure whether an electronic signature is acceptable, ask the person who needs the document.

Keep your unsigned original. If you spot a mistake after signing, it is easier to start again from a clean copy than to cover up a signature.

Where your signature goes

The document and your signature are processed in your browser. Your signature image is not sent to a LabAnvil server, and it is saved only if you choose to remember it on that device. The website itself still loads its pages and assets as usual; see the privacy policy for how analytics and advertising work.