How to sign a PDF without printing it
November 3, 2026 2 min read
When someone sends you a PDF to sign, the usual routine is print, sign, scan and send it back. Without a printer, or when you're on your phone, that drags on. Adding your signature straight to the PDF is much quicker.
Sign PDFDraw or type your signature and add it to a PDF.How to add your signature to a PDF
The Sign PDF tool takes your signature in three ways: draw it with your finger or mouse, type your name in a handwritten style, or use a photo of a signature on white paper. The paper background in the photo is removed automatically.
- 1Open the Sign PDF tool and pick your document.
- 2Create your signature with Draw, Type or From photo.
- 3Drag the signature where you want it on the page and pull its corner to resize it.
- 4Choose This page only or All pages, press Sign PDF and download the file.
Signing on your phone
A signature drawn with your finger on a phone often looks more natural than one drawn with a mouse. Download the document from your email or chat app and open it in the tool. You can send the signed PDF straight back from your phone's share menu.
What this signature is and isn't
This tool adds an image of your signature to the page, much like a signed page that was scanned. That's enough wherever a scanned signature is accepted, such as school permission slips, quotes, order confirmations or internal forms at work.
It is not a qualified or certified electronic signature. Those are created with a certificate from a trust service provider and carry special legal weight. Where the law or the other party requires one, use it. If you're not sure, ask whoever requested the document whether a scanned signature is fine.
Where do your document and signature go?
Signing happens entirely in your browser, on your own device. Neither your PDF nor your signature is sent to a server, and the signature is gone when you close the page. That matters when a contract contains personal details.