Signing a PDF doesn't require printing it, signing it with a pen, and scanning it back in. Here's a straightforward way to do the whole thing on-screen, in a few steps.
1. Open your PDF
Drop the PDF you need to sign into a signing tool, or click to choose it from your files. A good browser-based tool renders the pages right there so you can see exactly what you're signing, without uploading the file anywhere.
2. Create your signature
You generally have two options: draw your signature directly with a mouse, finger, or stylus, or upload a photo or scan of your signature as an image. Drawing is faster if you're signing something right now and don't already have a signature image saved; uploading is handy if you've used the same signature image before and want it to look consistent every time.
3. Place it on the page
Once your signature is ready, drag it onto the page and drop it exactly where it belongs — next to a signature line, under a paragraph, wherever the document calls for it. Use the resize handle to make it bigger or smaller so it looks proportional to the rest of the page.
4. Sign additional pages if needed
Multi-page contracts often need initials or a signature on more than one page. Navigate to each page that needs it and add another instance of your signature — each one can be positioned and sized independently.
5. Download the signed PDF
Once every signature is placed where you want it, apply the changes and download the finished file. The result is a normal PDF with your signature baked into the page images — no special software is needed to open or forward it.
A note on privacy
If the tool you're using does this entirely in your browser — rendering the PDF, compositing the signature, and rebuilding the file all on your device — the document itself never has to leave your computer. That's worth checking for anything you'd rather not upload to a third-party server.
Draw or upload a signature and place it on your PDF, entirely in your browser.
Related: what an e-signature actually is