How to Sign a PDF Online (Free, No Printing)

You can sign a PDF for free in your browser by drawing, typing or uploading your signature and placing it on the page. No printing or scanning is needed, and the file stays on your device.

Someone sends you a contract, a rental agreement or a form and asks you to "sign and send it back". The old way meant printing, signing with a pen, scanning and emailing. You can skip all of that and sign the PDF directly on your screen.

This guide shows how to sign a PDF for free, which kind of signature to use, and what to check before you send it.

How do I sign a PDF online?

1. Open Sign PDF.
2. Click Select PDF file, or drop your PDF onto the page.
3. Create your signature (see the three options below).
4. Click on the page where the signature should go.
5. Drag it into position and pull the red corner to resize it.
6. Click Sign and save, then download your signed PDF.

Your file and signature never leave your device. Everything happens in your browser.

What are the ways to create a signature?

You have three choices:

• Draw. Use your mouse, trackpad, finger or stylus. Drawing on a phone or tablet with your finger often looks the most natural.
• Type. Type your name and pick one of three handwriting-style fonts. It is quick and always neat.
• Upload. Sign on white paper, take a clear photo or scan, and upload it as a PNG or JPG.

You can also add your name, your initials and today's date as separate items, and place each one exactly where the document asks for it.

How do I add initials to every page?

Many agreements ask for initials on each page. Add your initials once, then use Copy to all pages. They appear in the same place on every page, and you can still move any one of them if a page needs it.

Is my signature legally valid?

A signature you add with a tool like this is an electronic signature: an image of your signature placed on the document. For many everyday documents, such as permission slips, quotes, internal forms and many simple agreements, an electronic signature is accepted in many countries.

Some documents need more. Examples are certain contracts, property documents, government forms and anything that requires a witness or a notary. In those cases you may need a certified digital signature, which is a different thing: it uses a security certificate that proves who signed and that nothing changed afterwards.

The simple rule: ask the person or organisation that needs the document what kind of signature they accept. This is general information, not legal advice.

How do I sign a PDF on Mac, Windows or a phone?

You can sign in any browser with PDFixed, so it works the same on every device. There are also built-in options:

• Mac: open the PDF in Preview, click the Markup toolbar button, then choose the Sign icon. You can create a signature with your trackpad or the camera.
• iPhone and iPad: open the PDF in Mail or Files, tap the Markup pen icon, tap +, then choose Signature.
• Windows: there is no built-in signing tool for most PDFs, so a browser tool is the quickest way.

Tips for a signature that looks right

• Make it the right size. A signature that is too big looks odd. Shrink it until it sits neatly on the line.
• Use a plain background. If you upload a photo, sign with a dark pen on clean white paper in good light.
• Check the date format. Some countries write day-month-year and others month-day-year. Use the one the document uses.
• Finish editing first. Fix any wrong names or amounts before you sign, because changing a document after it is signed can raise questions.

What if I need to edit the document before signing?

If a name, date or amount is wrong, fix it before you sign. You can edit the text yourself for simple changes. For anything detailed, like matching fonts or correcting a name throughout a document, our experts can do it for you. Ask for a quote and you will see the price before any work starts.