Someone emails you a contract that needs signing. In the old days: print, sign with pen, scan, email back. Now: open our tool, add your signature digitally, send. Done in under a minute, no printer or scanner needed.
This guide shows you how to sign PDFs electronically, the different signature options, and when electronic signatures are legally valid.
Signature Options
Draw Your Signature
Use your mouse, trackpad, or touchscreen to draw your signature exactly as you'd sign with a pen. Most personal and authentic-looking.
Type Your Signature
Enter your name and choose from handwriting-style fonts. Quick and consistent, good for high-volume signing.
Upload Signature Image
Already have your signature as an image? Upload it and place it on documents. Useful if you've previously created a high-quality signature scan.
How to Sign a PDF
- Upload: Go to our Sign PDF tool and select your document
- Create your signature: Draw, type, or upload
- Position: Click where you want to sign, drag to adjust location
- Resize: Make your signature smaller or larger as needed
- Download: Get your signed document instantly
Beyond Just Signing
While signing, you might also need to:
- Fill in dates: Add text for signature dates
- Add initials: Create a smaller signature for initial lines
- Fill form fields: Complete any form fields on the document
- Add checkmarks: Check agreement boxes
Our PDF editor can help with all of these.
Are Electronic Signatures Legal?
In most jurisdictions, yes. The ESIGN Act (US), eIDAS (EU), and similar laws in many countries recognize electronic signatures as legally binding for most documents.
Generally accepted for:
- Business contracts
- Employment agreements
- NDAs and legal agreements
- Administrative forms
- Purchase orders
May require special handling:
- Real estate deeds (varies by state/country)
- Wills and trusts
- Court documents
- Notarized documents
After Signing
- Password protect signed contracts
- Compress before emailing if file is large
- Archive in PDF/A format for long-term storage
- Add "Signed" watermark for visual confirmation
Tips for Better Signatures
Use a Stylus on Touch Devices
Drawing with a stylus on a tablet produces the most natural-looking signatures.
Practice Before Signing
Draw a few practice signatures before adding the final one to your document.
Match Signature Size
Make your signature proportional to the signature line. Too big or too small looks unprofessional.
Related Tools
- Edit PDF — fill forms and add text
- Password protect PDF
- Compress PDF
- Merge PDFs
Common Questions
Is there a watermark on the signed PDF?
No. CarePDF is completely free with no watermarks on any output, including signed documents.
Do I need to create an account?
No. Sign documents immediately without registration. Your signature and files aren't stored.
Can others detect this is an electronic signature?
The signature itself looks like any other signature in a PDF. Whether it's "detectable" depends on what someone is looking for.
Sign documents in seconds. Sign your PDF now — free, no account.