Sign PDF (Electronic Signature)
Draw, type or upload your signature, place it on any page and save the signed PDF.
1. Create your signature
Dark ink on plain white paper, in good light. The paper is made transparent.
Move left if paper still shows, right if thin strokes disappear.
2. Place it on the page
Drag an item to move it; the corner handle resizes and the round top handle rotates. With a keyboard: Tab to an item, then arrows move it, + and − resize, R rotates and Delete removes.
Placed items (0)
This adds a visual electronic signature — an image of your signature in the page. It isn’t a certificate-based digital signature; see below for when that matters.
Your signed PDF is ready
For general information only, not legal advice. Templates are generic starting points — have a qualified lawyer review anything you rely on.
About the Sign PDF (Electronic Signature)
Sign a PDF without printing it. Create your signature by drawing it with a mouse, finger or stylus (strokes are smoothed), typing your name in a handwriting font, or uploading a photo of your signature on paper — the paper background is removed automatically. Then place it on any page, resize and rotate it, add your initials to every page, the date and any text, and save the signed PDF.
This creates a visual electronic signature: an image of your signature (and the text you add) written into the page content. It is not a certificate-based digital signature, which cryptographically identifies the signer and shows whether the file changed after signing — see below for when that matters. Everything happens in your browser; the PDF and your signature are never uploaded, and your signature is remembered on this device only if you choose to.
How to use it
- Choose the PDF you want to sign.
- Create your signature: Draw it, Type your name and pick a style, or Upload a photo of your signature on white paper. Switch to Initials to make initials the same way.
- Go to the right page and press Add signature (or Add initials, Add date, Add text). Drag the item into place; use the corner handle to resize and the top handle to rotate.
- Optional: Initials on every page puts your initials in the same spot on all pages.
- Press Sign PDF, then Download to save the signed copy.
Examples
Drawn signature on the last page above “Tenant”, date beside it, initials at the bottom right of every page
agreement-signed.pdf — signature, date and initials are part of each page; nothing else changes
Photo of a signature in blue ink on white paper
The paper is made transparent, so only the ink appears on the PDF — no white box around it
Use a well-lit photo, dark ink and plain paper; the background slider fine-tunes the cut-out.
Common uses
- Signing offer letters, NDAs, rental and service agreements that the other side accepts electronically.
- Initialling every page of a contract, as many organisations ask.
- Signing and dating forms, declarations and internal approvals before emailing them back.
- Adding your name, place and date to a document without printing and scanning it.
Visual e-signature vs digital signature
A visual electronic signature like the one made here shows who agreed through the image and the context (who sent it, from which email address, when). It doesn’t prove by itself that the file wasn’t changed later.
A digital signature uses a certificate and cryptography: readers can check who signed and whether the document changed afterwards. In India that means a digital signature certificate (DSC) or Aadhaar-based eSign — the electronic signatures the Information Technology Act, 2000 recognises under sections 3 and 3A, and which section 5 accepts where a law requires a signature. In the EU, Article 25 of the eIDAS Regulation (EU) No 910/2014, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2024/1183, says an electronic signature can’t be refused legal effect or as evidence just because it is electronic, but only a qualified electronic signature is guaranteed the same legal effect as a handwritten one.
If a document must carry a DSC, eSign or a qualified signature (for example many government filings), use that instead.
Where electronic signatures are not accepted
India. The IT Act does not apply to the documents in its First Schedule (section 1(4)): negotiable instruments other than cheques (such as promissory notes and bills of exchange), powers of attorney, trusts, wills and other testamentary dispositions, and contracts for the sale or conveyance of immovable property or any interest in it. These need handwritten signatures — and often stamp paper, witnesses or registration.
United States. The ESIGN Act (15 U.S.C. § 7001) gives electronic signatures legal effect, with exceptions in § 7003: wills, codicils and testamentary trusts; adoption, divorce and other family-law matters; most of the Uniform Commercial Code (other than sales and leases); court orders and official court documents; and notices of utility cut-offs, foreclosure, eviction or repossession of a primary residence, cancellation of health or life insurance, product recalls, and documents that must accompany hazardous materials.
Everywhere: the other party can insist on a wet-ink or a digital signature. When in doubt, ask them before you sign.
Making a visual signature more trustworthy
- Keep a copy of exactly what you signed, and send it from your usual email address.
- Agree in writing (an email is fine) that electronic signatures are acceptable for this document.
- Initial every page so pages can’t easily be swapped.
- After signing you can add a password with Password Protect PDF before sending.
Sources
- Information Technology Act, 2000 (India): sections 1(4), 3, 3A, 5 and 10A, and the First Schedule (documents to which the Act does not apply).
- Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN), 15 U.S.C. § 7001 (general rule) and § 7003 (exceptions).
- Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 (eIDAS), Article 25, as amended by Regulation (EU) 2024/1183.
Laws change and their application depends on the facts; check the current text or ask a lawyer before relying on an electronic signature for something important.
Limitations
- This is not a certificate-based digital signature; it can’t show whether the PDF was changed after signing.
- Password-protected or restricted PDFs must be unlocked first with Unlock PDF.
- Signing changes the file, so existing digital signatures in it will show as invalid.
- Text you add uses Noto Sans (Latin, ₹, Greek, Cyrillic); scripts that need shaping, such as Devanagari, aren’t supported in added text — a typed or drawn signature works in any script you can draw.
Privacy
The PDF and your signature are processed in your browser and never uploaded. Your signature and initials are saved only if you tick Remember my signature and initials on this device — then they are kept in this browser’s local storage until you untick it or press Forget saved signature; anyone using this browser profile could use them.
Frequently asked questions
Is an electronic signature legally valid?
It depends on the country and the document. The US ESIGN Act (§ 7001) and the EU eIDAS Regulation (Art. 25) say a signature can’t be denied legal effect just because it is electronic. India’s IT Act says a contract isn’t unenforceable just because it was made electronically (s. 10A), but the electronic signatures it recognises as signatures (ss. 3, 3A and 5) are digital signature certificates and eSign — an image of a handwritten signature isn’t one of them, so how much it proves depends on the evidence around it. Some documents are excluded everywhere, and the other party may require a specific kind of signature. See the sections above; this is general information, not legal advice.
Can I sign a will or a property sale deed here?
No. In India the IT Act doesn’t apply to wills, powers of attorney, trusts, negotiable instruments other than cheques, or contracts for the sale of immovable property — they need handwritten signatures (and usually stamp duty and registration). US law has similar exceptions for wills and family-law matters.
Is my signature uploaded or stored?
No upload ever. It is stored only if you tick Remember my signature and initials on this device, and then only in this browser — press Forget saved signature to delete it.
How do I put initials on every page?
Create your initials (switch to Initials), then press Initials on every page. If you have already placed initials on one page, they are copied to the same spot on all the others.
Why does my uploaded signature have a white box around it?
The background is removed automatically, but shadows or grey paper can confuse it. Move the Background slider until only the ink is left, or retake the photo in good light on plain white paper.
Can I sign on a phone?
Yes. Draw with your finger in the signature box, then drag the signature into place on the page. Turning the phone sideways gives you more room to draw.