How to sign a PDF without printing it
Draw, type or upload your signature and place it on a PDF on your own device, plus when an image signature is enough and when it is not.
Updated: 3 November 2026
You do not need a printer and scanner to sign a PDF. You can place your signature on the page directly on your own computer or phone. This guide shows how, and explains an important limit: what this kind of signature is, and when it is not enough.
Sign a PDF in your browser
The Sign PDF works entirely on your device, so your contract or form is not uploaded anywhere.
- Open your PDF. Its pages appear below.
- Make your signature: draw it with a mouse, finger or stylus, type your name, or upload a picture of your handwritten signature, then press “Use this signature”.
- Choose the page number and press “Add signature”. Add text, a date or a tick the same way. Drag each item into place and drag its corner to resize it.
- Press “Sign PDF” and download the result.
Getting a good signature
- Drawing with a finger on a phone is the quickest way, and a stylus gives a smoother line.
- To use your real handwriting, sign with a dark pen on plain white paper in good light, take a straight-on photo and crop it tightly with the Image Cropper. Keep the “make the white background transparent” option on, so the paper does not cover text underneath.
- A typed signature is easy, but the font depends on your device, so check how it looks on the page.
Sign the right pages and keep the file small
If you only need to return the signature page, the Extract or Delete PDF Pages can pull it out of a longer contract. If you are sending several documents together, combine them with the Merge PDF before or after signing, and use the Compress PDF if the signed file is too large to email. Keep an unsigned copy of the original.
What this signature is and is not
The tool places an image of your signature on the page. It does not create a certificate-based digital signature, add a timestamp or keep an audit trail, and anyone with a PDF editor can copy the picture or remove it. Many everyday documents, such as simple forms, letters and permission slips, accept a picture of a signature, but some contracts, government forms and financial documents require more, and the rules depend on your country and the other party. If you are not sure, ask the person or organisation that sent the document whether this kind of signature is accepted. For anything sensitive or legally demanding, use a certified digital signature service instead.
Limits
The tool handles PDFs up to 200 MB and 300 pages. Password-protected or encrypted PDFs are not supported, so remove the password first with the program that created the file. It places pictures on top of the page, so it does not fill in real form fields.