How to Add a Signature to a PDF

To add a signature to a PDF in Acrobat Reader on Windows or macOS, open the file, click Sign in the toolbar, create and place your signature, then save the PDF. You can also use Preview on Apple devices, desktop browser tools, or the mobile options below. Typing, drawing, or importing a signature creates a visible electronic mark; certificate-based signing requires a digital identity.

Add a signature in your desktop browser

In current desktop Firefox, open the PDF and click Add signature > + Add New Signature. Choose Type, Draw, or Image, then create your signature. Select Save signature to keep it for reuse, click Add, and position it on the page. Click Save in the PDF toolbar to save the signed document.

In Chrome’s desktop PDF viewer, open the PDF in a tab and select Draw > Pen. Choose the size and color, then sign with your mouse or touchpad. Select Done, then Download > With your changes; on Chromebook, select Save.

In desktop Edge on Windows or macOS, open the PDF and select Draw in the PDF toolbar. Handwrite your signature with a mouse, touchscreen, or pen, adjusting the ink color or width as needed. Use the toolbar’s save control to save the annotated PDF.

Get Acrobat Reader and sign your PDF

On Windows or macOS, get Adobe Acrobat Reader if you need a dedicated signing app. Basic self-signing is available in Reader. Open your PDF, click Sign in the toolbar, and choose to add your signature, then type, draw, or insert a signature image.

Select Apply and click the place where the signature belongs. Resize or reposition it before saving the PDF.

For Android, iPhone, or iPad, get Acrobat Reader mobile and open the PDF. Select Fill & Sign > Signature > Add signature, then draw, choose an image, or capture your signature with the camera. Tap Done, tap the destination, and adjust the signature’s position and size. To save, tap the checkmark on Android or Done on iPhone and iPad.

Adobe says mobile signing also works offline, and saved signatures become permanent in the PDF, so finish positioning yours before saving. Adobe retired the separate Fill & Sign mobile app; use Acrobat Reader mobile’s Fill & Sign tools instead.

Sign a PDF in Preview on a Mac

In Preview on macOS 27, open the PDF and click Show Markup Toolbar > Sign. On a Mac with a trackpad, choose Trackpad, follow the start prompt, and sign with your finger. Press any key to finish capturing the signature, then click Done. Select the signature, position and resize it, then choose File > Save.

On a Mac with a built-in camera, you can capture a signature written on white paper. Open Sign, choose Camera, hold the signature level with the blue guide, and click Done. Select the captured signature, position it on the PDF, and choose File > Save.

For later documents, open Sign and choose your saved signature instead of creating it again. You can resize and position the signature after placing it. To replace a saved template, hover over it, click X, and create another using the trackpad or camera.

Add a signature on iPhone or iPad

Preview is available on iPhone with iOS 26 or later; these iPhone steps use its current iOS 27 interface. Open the PDF in Preview, then tap Form Filling > Add > Add Signature. Sign with your finger, tap Done, and drag the signature into position. Tap Back to save the document.

On iPadOS 26 or later, open the PDF in Preview and tap Form Fill > Add to add a signature. Create or choose your signature and position it on the page. You can sign with your finger or a compatible Apple Pencil on a compatible iPad.

For a PDF opened in a supported app’s current iOS 27 Markup interface, tap Markup > Add > Add Signature and choose a saved signature. To create another, tap Add or Remove Signature > Add, draw it, and tap Done. Drag the signature to move it or drag a blue dot to resize it.

Draw your signature on Android

In Google Drive for Android 6.0 or later, open the PDF and tap the annotate button at the bottom right. Select the pen, choose its size and color, and draw your signature with a finger or stylus. Save your changes to the original PDF or make a newly named copy.

On supported Galaxy phones and tablets, Samsung Notes lets you import a PDF, sign it, and export the result. Touch and hold Create note, choose Import PDF, select the file, and tap Done. Handwrite your signature, using an S Pen on compatible models if you prefer.

To return the signed note to PDF format, choose More options > Save as file > PDF file. Select the destination, tap Done, then tap Save.

On Galaxy devices with One UI 8.5 or later, you can also start from the PDF in My Files. Choose More options > Open with > Samsung Notes, then add your handwritten signature and export it using the same PDF steps.

Create a reusable signature on Chromebook

Select Launcher > Files and double-click your PDF to open it in Gallery. Select the signature button, draw with a mouse, finger, or stylus, then select Place signature. Use Select to reposition or resize it, and select Save.

Gallery also lets you choose Annotate and use the pen to draw your signature directly on the page. Select Save when finished, or use the arrow beside it to save the edits as a separate file. To manage saved templates, select Draw another signature to create another or Delete signature to remove one.

Sign through an online PDF tool

Open iLovePDF’s signing tool, select the PDF, and choose Only me. Type, draw, or upload your signature; choose Draw from your mobile device to capture it on a companion device. Click Apply when the signature is ready.

Choose Simple Signature, place it on the document, and click Sign PDF. Download the result after signing finishes. If you choose the service’s Digital Signature option instead, you need Premium.

Use Word or paper to add your signature

Word for Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 or 2021 on Windows can convert a PDF so you can insert a signature picture. Microsoft says conversion works best with mostly textual PDFs and can change pagination or formatting. Choose File > Open, open the PDF, and select OK for conversion.

To add a signature in Word, choose Insert > Pictures, insert a scanned signature image, and position it. To save the Word document as PDF, choose Export > Create PDF/XPS Document > Create PDF/XPS, then select Publish.

For a printable PDF, you can also print the document, sign the paper, and scan the signed pages back into a PDF. On iPhone or iPad, open Files > More > Scan Documents. Capture each signed page automatically or tap Shutter, adjust the crop, and tap Keep Scan.

Continue until you have captured every signed page. Tap Done, choose a location, and tap Save. Use that scanned PDF when returning the signed document.

Fix signing and formatting problems

If Word conversion changes the layout too much, return to the original PDF. Use a direct PDF signing method, such as Acrobat Reader or Preview, instead of converting it.

If signing is blocked, document restrictions or organizational policies may be responsible. Ask the sender for a signable copy, or ask your administrator to check signing access if you use a managed Acrobat or Reader installation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you add a certificate-based digital signature in Acrobat?

In Acrobat desktop, select All tools > Use a certificate > Digitally sign > OK, then draw the signature rectangle. Under Sign with a Digital ID, choose your identity and select Continue; use Configure New Digital ID if needed. Enter its password and optionally select Lock document after signing. Select Sign, choose a destination, then select Save.

Can you sign a PDF attachment without leaving Apple Notes?

Yes, on iPhone or iPad, open Notes and tap the attached PDF or scanned document. Tap Markup > Add > Signature, add a saved or new signature, and position it. Tap Done to finish.

Can you use an iPhone to create a signature for Mac Preview?

Yes, in Preview on macOS 27, you can use a nearby iPhone or iPad that meets Apple’s Continuity requirements. Open Show Markup Toolbar > Sign and use Select Device when multiple devices are available. Sign on the device with your finger or a compatible Apple Pencil, then tap Done. Select and position the signature on the Mac, then save the PDF.

How do you sign an agreement sent through Adobe Acrobat Sign?

Open the agreement link in the signature-request email and complete the required fields. Select the signature field, create your signature using one of the options permitted by the sender, and click Apply. Finish by selecting Click To Sign.

Can Acrobat Reader share a saved signature between devices?

Yes, you can reuse it on devices signed into the same Adobe account. When creating a signature in Acrobat Reader for Android, enable Save Online; on iPhone or iPad, enable Save to Online Profile. Complete the signature and tap Done, then select the stored signature on another signed-in Acrobat device.