How to Sign a PDF
To sign a PDF, create a signature image and place it on the signature line of the page. PDFDEN's free PDF signing tool lets you draw, type or upload your signature and drag it into place, with the date beside it if you want. It runs in your browser, so the document never leaves your computer.
Sign PDF: Draw or type your signature on a PDF. Free, and your file never leaves your device.
Open Sign PDFSteps
Open Sign PDF and drop in the document.
Create your signature: draw it with a mouse, trackpad or finger, type your name, or upload a photo of your handwritten signature.
Go to the signature page and drag a box where the signature should sit.
Add the date beside it if the document asks for one.
Save and download the signed PDF.
Electronic signature or digital signature?
The terms get mixed up, and they mean different things.
An electronic signature is a visual mark on the document: your drawn or typed name. It is what most leases, permission slips and everyday agreements ask for. PDFDEN creates this kind.
A digital signature is a cryptographic seal made with a certificate. It proves who signed and shows if the file changed afterward. Some contracts and government forms require one. PDFDEN does not create certificate-based digital signatures, so check what the recipient needs before you sign.
How to sign a PDF on a Mac or iPhone
On a Mac, open the PDF in Preview, show the Markup toolbar, click the Sign button and create a signature with the trackpad or by holding a signed sheet of paper up to the camera. Then click it to place it and drag it into position.
On an iPhone or iPad, open the PDF in the Files app, tap the Markup button, tap + and choose Add Signature.
Both save the signature as an annotation. To make sure it cannot be moved, flatten the file afterward.
Sign PDF: Draw or type your signature on a PDF. Free, and your file never leaves your device.
Open Sign PDFLock the signature so it cannot be moved
After signing, run the file through Flatten PDF. It merges the signature and any filled fields into the page, so they look the same in every viewer. The guide on how to flatten a PDF explains the two modes.
If the form also needs typed answers, fill them in with Add Text to PDF before you sign. To send the signed copy privately, add a password with Protect PDF.
Tips for a cleaner signature
Uploading a photo of your real signature usually looks the most natural. Sign in dark ink on white paper and photograph it in even light, so the background stays clean.
Drawn signatures look better when the box is wide. Sign larger than you need, then place it with a smaller box on the page. Try the free e-signature tool with a test document first to find the size that fits your forms.
How to sign a multi-page contract
Contracts often need a signature on the last page and initials on every other page. Create your full signature for the signature line, then create a second, typed version with just your initials for the other pages.
Work through the pages in order and place each mark in the spot the document asks for. Add the date wherever there is a date line.
Before you sign, check the document is final. Changing the text after signing means signing again. When it is done, flatten the PDF so the marks stay put, and keep a copy of the signed file. The sign PDF tool handles every page of the document in the same session.