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Sign a PDF
Open a PDF, place your signature, initials, the date or a note on any page, and download the signed copy. The file never leaves your device.
- Your PDF stays on this device. It is opened, signed and saved inside your browser. Nothing is uploaded, so contracts, IDs and bank forms stay private.
- Sign, initial, date, add text. On any page, as many times as you need. Drag to place, pull the corner to resize.
- A normal PDF comes back. The original pages are kept as they are, with your additions on top.
How to sign a PDF
- Open the PDF. Choose it or drop it on the page. It is read by your browser; nothing is uploaded. Or try the sample document first.
- Add your signature. Choose Signature, then pick a saved one or draw, type or upload a new one. It lands on the page you are looking at.
- Place it. Drag it onto the signature line; pull the corner handle to resize. It snaps to the page centre and lines up with your other items. Arrow keys nudge it.
- Add initials, the date or text wherever the document asks for them. Double-click a date to change its format, or a text box to edit it.
- Download the signed PDF. You get a new file, “name-signed.pdf”; your original is not changed.
Why it is private
PDFs that need signing are often the most sensitive files people have: employment contracts, leases, loan forms, medical consent, ID copies. Most online signing services upload them to a server. Here the PDF is opened, displayed and saved entirely inside your browser tab, so the document and your signature never leave your device. Close the tab and nothing remains, except the signatures you chose to save in this browser.
Electronic signature or digital signature?
They sound alike but are different things, and it helps to know which one a document needs.
| Compared | Electronic signature (this tool) | Certificate-based digital signature |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An image of your signature, initials or typed name placed on the document | A cryptographic seal made with a certificate issued to you by a trust service provider |
| Proves | That you marked the document, together with the context (emails, who sent it) | Who signed (via the certificate), and that the file has not been changed since |
| Typical use | Everyday agreements: NDAs, offer letters, leases, invoices, permission forms | Some government filings, regulated industries, and documents where the law asks for an advanced or qualified signature |
In the United States the ESIGN Act and the UETA, and in the EU the eIDAS regulation, give electronic signatures legal effect for most transactions; eIDAS also defines advanced and qualified signatures, and only a qualified one has the same automatic legal standing as a handwritten signature everywhere in the EU. Some documents are commonly excluded from electronic signing, such as wills and certain family-law and property documents, or need a notary.
If a PDF already carries a certificate-based digital signature, any change to the file, including adding your signature here, will make PDF readers show that signature as modified. Sign such documents with the tool the sender asks for.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by country and by type of document; for anything important, check what the other party or a lawyer requires.
Good to know
- The original stays as it is. Text, fonts, form fields, links and images on the pages are kept; your additions are drawn on top. Drawn signatures go in as vector paths, so they stay sharp when zoomed.
- Protected PDFs. A PDF with an open password asks for it first; one that is encrypted against editing cannot be changed in the browser. Open it in a PDF app, print or export it to a new PDF, and sign the copy.
- Scanned documents work too. A scan is just an image in a PDF: place your signature on it like on any other page.
- Big files. Pages are drawn as you scroll, so long documents open quickly. Very large PDFs (hundreds of MB) may be too much for a phone.
Want a signature image instead? Use the signature generator, or make a transparent signature from a photo of one on paper.
Questions and answers
Is it safe to sign a PDF here?
Yes. The PDF never leaves your device: it is opened, signed and saved by your browser, with no upload. The page only downloads its own code and fonts; your file is never sent anywhere.
Is a PDF signed this way legally binding?
For most everyday agreements, an electronic signature like this is legally recognised in the US (ESIGN Act, UETA), the EU (eIDAS) and many other countries. Some documents need a certificate-based digital signature, a notary or wet ink. This is general information, not legal advice.
Can I sign on a phone?
Yes. Open the PDF, tap Signature, draw with your finger, then drag it into place. The toolbar stays at the top of the screen while you scroll the pages.
Can I add the date and text, or fill in a form?
You can add the date (in several formats), initials and any short text anywhere on a page. Text is written with a standard font, so it looks clean and stays searchable.
Does it add a watermark or a page?
No. The signed PDF has the same pages as the original, with only what you placed on them.
Why can’t I save a signed copy of my PDF?
The file is probably encrypted against changes. Open it in a PDF app, use Print → Save as PDF (or Export) to make an unprotected copy, and sign that.
Can I sign several pages, or sign several times?
Yes. Add as many signatures, initials, dates and text boxes as you like, on any page. Use Duplicate on an item to copy it.