Learning how to sign a PDF online is simple: open the free Sign PDF tool, upload your document, create a signature by drawing it, typing your name, or uploading an image, place it anywhere on the page, and download the signed file. The whole process takes under two minutes. No account or signup is required, there is no file-size limit, and your document never leaves your browser — signing happens entirely on your device.
How to sign a PDF online in 7 steps
- Open the Sign PDF tool and upload your document. Drag your PDF onto the dropzone or click it to browse ("Upload one PDF to sign"). The file is read locally in your browser and never uploaded anywhere. A preview of page 1 appears once the file is parsed.
- Pick how to create your signature. Above the signature panel you'll see three tabs: Draw, Type, and Upload. Choose whichever suits you — you can create several signature assets and switch between them freely.
- Draw your signature. On the Draw tab, sign with your mouse, finger, or stylus on the white canvas. Don't like it? Hit Clear and try again. When you're happy, click Create from drawing to save it as a signature asset.
- Or type your name. On the Type tab, enter your name (up to 80 characters) and pick a handwriting font — Dancing Script, Great Vibes, or Caveat. Choose a size (Small, Medium, or Large) and an ink color (black, blue, red, or grey). A live preview shows exactly how it will look; click Create typed signature when it does.
- Or upload a signature image. On the Upload tab, choose a PNG or JPG of your handwritten signature. The tool automatically removes a white background where possible, so the signature blends cleanly onto the page.
- Place the signature on the page. Select your signature asset and click Place on page — it appears centered on the current page preview. Drag it to move it, pull the corner handle to resize it, or click the trash icon to remove it. Use Previous page and Next page to move through the document, and place the same signature on every page that needs one.
- Download the signed PDF. Click Download signed PDF. The file saves instantly with
-signedadded to the original name (for example,contract-signed.pdf). A Download again button stays available with the file size shown, in case you need it.
Save your signature for next time
If you sign documents regularly, you don't need to redraw your signature each time. Select any signature asset and click Save for reuse. The tool stores up to three signatures in your browser's local storage — on your device only, never on a server. Next time you open the tool, your saved signatures appear in the Saved signatures panel: click Use to load one into the current session, or Remove to delete it permanently.
Good to know before you sign
Password-protected PDFs need unlocking first. The signing tool can't open an encrypted file — you'll see a message pointing you to the Unlock PDF tool. If you know the password, run the file through Unlock PDF first, then sign the unlocked copy. Your password stays in your browser the entire time.
Your files stay private. Every step — upload, preview rendering, signature placement, and PDF generation — runs locally in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server, so even sensitive contracts never leave your device.
Check placement before downloading. The signature is burned onto the PDF as an image at export, so its position is final. Look closely at the preview: drag or resize the signature until it sits naturally on the signature line, roughly matching the line's height, then download. Regenerating costs nothing, so take the extra ten seconds.
A note on legal weight. Electronic signatures are legally binding in most jurisdictions for everyday agreements. The tool shows a disclaimer worth reading: documents requiring qualified e-signatures under frameworks like eIDAS or ESIGN should go through a specialised service. For offer letters, NDAs, invoices, permission slips, and rental agreements, a placed signature works fine.
Signing on your phone
Phones are actually the ideal signing device. Drawing with a fingertip or stylus on a touchscreen feels natural and produces a realistic signature — far better than most mouse-drawn attempts. The flow is identical: open the tool in your mobile browser, upload the PDF, draw your signature on the canvas, tap Create from drawing, place it with your finger, and download. Everything is touch-friendly, including dragging the signature into position and pulling the corner handle to resize it.
One tip for mobile: sign in a well-lit spot and hold the phone steady while drawing, the same way you'd steady paper on a desk. If your first attempt looks shaky, hit Clear and redo it — most people nail it on the second or third try. Save the good one with Save for reuse and you'll never draw it again.