To insert a signature in Word, save your handwritten signature as an image, place the cursor where you want it, and choose the picture option on the Insert tab. You can also draw a signature, save a reusable signature block, or create a line for signing. A signature picture adds your handwriting to the page; certificate signing authenticates the signing separately.
The short version
- Use a picture: Insert a scanned signature on your computer or a signature photograph on your phone.
- Draw directly: Supported versions of Word let you write a signature with the tools on the Draw tab.
- Save it for later: Word for Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 on Windows and Mac can store a signature picture and accompanying text as an AutoText entry.
- Choose the right line: A blank signing line and a certificate-backed digital signature serve different purposes.
| Method | Where to use it | What it adds |
|---|---|---|
| Signature image | Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 desktop; Word web and mobile | A picture of your handwriting |
| Direct camera capture | Word for Android, iPhone, and iPad | A photograph of signed paper |
| Continuity Camera | Microsoft 365 for Mac with compatible devices | A signature photographed with your iPhone |
| Ink tools | Microsoft 365 desktop, Word 2024 for Mac, Word mobile | A signature drawn on the page |
| Trackpad drawing | Microsoft 365 for Mac with a trackpad | A signature drawn with your finger |
| AutoText block | Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 desktop | Reusable signature content |
| Underlined blank space | Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 for Windows | A line for signing after printing |
| Table border | Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 for Windows | A line that stays in place while you enter text |
| Office signature line | Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 for Windows | A designated signing location |
| Certificate signing | Microsoft 365 for Windows | A digitally signed Word document |
| PDF export | Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 for Windows | A separate copy for a signing application |
| Preview signature | macOS Preview after PDF export | A signature on the PDF copy |
Insert a signature picture on Windows or Mac
Sign a piece of paper and scan it into an image file. On Windows, save the scan as PNG, JPG, or BMP. These desktop picture steps apply to Word for Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 on Windows and Mac.
On Windows, position the cursor at the signing location, then select Insert > Pictures > This device. Choose your signature image and select Insert. Select the picture, then use Picture Format > Crop to trim the surrounding paper.
On Mac, select Insert > Pictures > Picture from File. Choose the saved image and select Insert, then trim it with Picture Format > Crop. To keep the cropped version for another document, right-click the picture and select Save as Picture.
With Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac and compatible Continuity Camera devices, you can capture the signature using your iPhone. Sign in to the same Apple Account on both devices with two-factor authentication turned on, and turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on each. Hold Control and click the insertion location in Word, select Take Photo under your device name, photograph the signed paper, and tap Use Photo.
Add a signature in Word for the web
Word for the web has no dedicated signature-insertion command, but you can insert a scanned signature as a picture. Scan your signature and crop the image in an image editor before adding it to the document.
Place the cursor where the signature belongs, then select Insert > Picture. Choose your saved signature image and select Open. This adds a visible image of your signature without applying certificate signing.
Insert a signature from your phone or tablet
On an Android phone, tap the Edit icon, then select Home > Insert; on an Android tablet, tap Insert. Select Pictures > Photos, then choose the saved signature photograph.
To photograph signed paper directly in Word for Android, position the cursor first. Open Insert > Pictures > Camera, then use the camera button to photograph and insert the signature.
On an iPhone, tap the Edit icon and select Home > Insert; on an iPad, tap Insert. Tap Pictures, locate the saved photograph, and tap it to insert it. For a new photograph, choose Insert > Camera, capture the signature, and tap Use Photo.
Draw your signature directly in Word
You can write a signature using a mouse, finger, or stylus in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows and Mac, Word 2024 for Mac, and Word on iPhone, iPad, and Android. In Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, first select View > Print Layout. Open Draw, select a pen, and write your signature. On mobile, enable Draw with Touch when needed to write with your finger.
You can also draw with a built-in or connected trackpad in Word for Microsoft 365 for Mac, using Office build 16.22.19021100 or later. Select Draw > Draw with Trackpad and switch it to On. Draw with one finger and reposition the drawing window with two fingers. For precise positioning, hold Command, pause at the starting point, then draw.
Fix missing drawing tools and pen input
If the Draw tab is hidden in Word for Microsoft 365 on Windows, open File > Options > Customize Ribbon and select Draw. Return to Draw and select a pen to write your signature.
If your supported pen selects content when you want it to write, change Word's pen setting. On Windows desktop, open File > Options > Advanced > Pen; on Mac desktop, open Word > Preferences > General > Pen. Uncheck Use pen to select and interact with content by default, then use Draw to write the signature.
Save a signature block for repeated use
After you add a signature in Word, you can save the picture together with accompanying text for later insertion. Select the signature picture and the text you want to keep with it. These methods apply to Word for Microsoft 365 and Word 2024 on the named desktop platform.
On Windows, select Insert > Quick Parts > Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery. Enter a name in Name, set Gallery to AutoText, and select OK. To insert the saved block later, open Insert > Quick Parts > AutoText and choose your entry.
On Mac, use the Insert menu and select AutoText > New. Enter a name in Name and select OK. Reinsert the block through Insert > AutoText > AutoText, then choose the saved entry.
Create a signature line
For a document you plan to print and sign by hand, create a blank line in Word for Microsoft 365 or Word 2024 for Windows. Position the cursor, press Ctrl + U, and press Tab one or more times. Press Ctrl + U again to stop underlining, then print the document and sign the line.
To add a line in Word that stays in place while text is entered, use a table border in those Windows versions. Select Insert > Table and create one cell, or two adjacent cells when you need a label beside the signature. Resize the table, remove the other borders under Table Design, and apply Bottom Border to the signature cell. Enter any label in the adjacent cell.
For a designated signing location with a suggested signer, insert an Office signature line in Word for Microsoft 365 or Word 2024 for Windows. Select Insert > Signature Line > Microsoft Office Signature Line. In Signature Setup, complete Suggested signer, optionally enter Suggested signer's title, and select OK. Inserting the line alone does not sign the document.
Microsoft also names the Microsoft 365 ribbon command Add a Signature Line; use that label when your ribbon shows it. In Microsoft 365 for Windows, you can select Allow the signer to add comments in the Sign dialog box and Show sign date in signature line during setup. Choose those options before selecting OK.
Sign a line with a digital certificate
To sign a signature line in Word for Microsoft 365 for Windows, you need a signing certificate. Double-click the signature line, or right-click it and select Sign. Type your name beside the X, write it on a touchscreen, or select Select Image, choose a signature image, and select Select. Select Sign to finish; Word adds a visible signature and a certificate-backed digital signature, and the document becomes read-only.
Sign a PDF copy instead
A companion signing app works on a separate PDF copy of your document. In Word for Microsoft 365 or Word 2024 for Windows, save your Word document as PDF through File > Export > Create PDF/XPS Document > Create PDF/XPS. Choose a destination, select Publish, and open the resulting PDF in your signing application.
On a Mac, after exporting your Word document to PDF, open the PDF in Preview. Select Show Markup Toolbar > Sign, then create a signature using Trackpad, Camera, or Select Device for a compatible iPhone or iPad. Select Done, choose the saved signature, and position and resize it on the page. The signature appears in the PDF copy; the original Word file remains separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Word insert a typed signature when I enter an abbreviation?
Yes, in Word for Microsoft 365 or Word 2024 for Windows, select up to 255 characters of signature text, then open File > Options > Proofing > AutoCorrect Options > AutoCorrect. Select Replace text as you type, enter an abbreviation under Replace, confirm the signature under With, and select Add, then OK twice. Type the abbreviation and press Spacebar or Enter to expand it. Word for the web does not support these replacement entries.
Is there a keyboard shortcut for saving a typed signature?
In Word for Microsoft 365 or Word 2024 for Windows, select your signature text and press Alt + F3. Name the entry in Create New Building Block, then reinsert it through Insert > Quick Parts > AutoText.
Can I digitally sign a Word document without a visible signature line?
Yes, in Word for Microsoft 365 for Windows with a signing certificate, select File > Info > Protect Document > Add a Digital Signature. Select OK if prompted, choose Commitment Type, complete Purpose for signing this document, and select Sign.
How do I remove a digital signature before signing again?
In Word for Microsoft 365 for Windows, right-click a visible signature line, select Remove Signature, and select Yes. For an invisible signature, open File > Info > View Signatures, open the signature's arrow menu, select Remove Signature, and select Yes.
Will other people automatically trust a certificate I create myself?
No, recipients must explicitly trust a self-signed certificate. You can instead use a certificate issued by a certificate authority or your organization.
Can I still scan a new signature with Microsoft Lens?
Microsoft Lens stopped allowing new scans after March 9, 2026; use a supported camera or scanner for a new signature image. Existing scans can remain accessible in the installed app when you sign in to the last active account.