How to Digitally Sign PDF Documents

Easy ways to digitally sign PDFs on multiple devices and platforms

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: May 26, 2022 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to add a digital signature to a PDF document. You can do this using the Adobe Reader program on both Windows and Mac computers, or you can use a Mac computer's built-in Preview app. If you want to sign a PDF on an iPhone or Android, Adobe's Fill & Sign app is a good choice.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Using Adobe Reader on Windows or Mac

1
Install Adobe Reader if you haven't yet done so. You can install this free PDF reader from Adobe by doing the following:
- Go to https://get.adobe.com/reader/ in your computer's web browser.
- Uncheck any of the software in the "Optional offer" column.
- Click Install now or Download.
- Double-click the downloaded setup file.
- Follow the installation prompts.
2
Open your PDF in Adobe Reader. To do so:
- Windows — Right-click the PDF you want to sign, select Open with, and click Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.
- Mac — Click the PDF you want to sign, click File, select Open With, and click Adobe Acrobat Reader DC.
Advertisement
3
Click the Tools tab. It's at the top of the window.
4
Click Fill & Sign. This purple icon is near the top of the list of tools.^{[1]
X
Research source}
5
Click Sign. You'll see this option in the upper-right side of the page. A drop-down menu will appear.
6
Click Add Signature. It's in the drop-down menu. Doing so opens a signature form.
7
Enter your first and last name. Type in your name to create a stylized signature version of it.
8
Click Apply. It's at the bottom of the menu. Doing so saves your signature and reopens the PDF.
9
Select a place for your signature. Find the place in which you want to print your signature, then click the place to stamp your signature there. You should see the signature appear on your PDF.
10
Save the signed version of your document. Press Ctrl+S (Windows) or ⌘ Command+S (Mac) to bring up the "Save As" window, then select a save location and change the name (if necessary) before clicking Save.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Using Preview on Mac

1
Open your PDF in Preview. Preview is your Mac's default PDF viewer. You can open a PDF in Preview by doing the following:
- Click once the PDF to select it.
- Click File in the menu bar.
- Select Open With in the File drop-down menu.
- Click Preview in the pop-out menu.
2
Click the "Show Markup" icon. This icon looks like the tip of a pen inside a circle, and is located next to the search bar. A toolbar will appear near the top of the Preview window.
3
Click the "Signature"
icon. It's in the toolbar. Doing so prompts a drop-down menu.
4
Click the Trackpad tab. This is at the top of the drop-down menu.
- If you're using an iMac, you'll instead select the Camera tab.
- If you have existing signatures, first click Create Signature at the bottom of the drop-down menu to make a new one (or select your signature and then skip the next two steps).
5
Draw your signature. Using your finger on the trackpad, trace your signature as you want it to appear on the document. You should see the signature appear in the drop-down menu.
- If you're using the webcam on an iMac, you'll write your signature on a blank piece of paper and then take a picture of it using the camera.
6
Click Done. It's at the bottom of the drop-down menu.
7
Add your signature to the PDF. Click the "Signature"
icon, then click your signature. You can then drag it to the location in which you want to apply your signature.
8
Save your work. Click File, then click Save to do so. Your PDF now contains your signature.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Using Adobe Fill & Sign on Mobile

1
Install Adobe Fill & Sign. Adobe Fill & Sign is a free mobile app for iPhone and Android. To install it, do the following:
- iPhone — Open the
  App Store, tap Search, tap the search bar, type in adobe fill and sign, tap Search, tap GET next to Adobe Fill & Sign, and enter your Apple ID or Touch ID when prompted.
- Android — Open the
  Google Play Store, tap the search bar, type in adobe fill and sign, tap Adobe Fill & Sign: Easy PDF Form Filler in the results, tap INSTALL, and tap ACCEPT if prompted.
2
Open Adobe Fill & Sign. Tap OPEN in the App Store or Google Play Store, or tap the purple Fill & Sign app icon on your Home Screen (iPhone) or in the App Drawer (Android).
3
Tap Select a form to fill out. It's at the top of the page. A menu will appear.
4
Tap File Browser. This is in the menu. Doing so opens your iPhone's Files app.
- On Android, tap From PDF File in this menu.
5
Tap the Browse tab. It's in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- Skip this step on Android.
6
Select your PDF. Go to the folder in which the PDF you want to sign is stored, then tap your PDF to select it. Doing so will open the PDF in Adobe Fill & Sign.
7
Tap the "Fill & Sign" icon. It's a pen-shaped icon at the bottom of the screen (iPhone) or at the top of the screen (Android). A menu will appear.
- You may first have to tap somewhere off of the tutorial window to close the tutorial.
8
Tap Create Signature. This is in the menu. Doing so opens the signature field.
9
Draw your signature. Tap and drag your finger across the signature field to sign your name.
10
Tap Done. It's in the top-right corner of the screen. Doing so saves your signature and applies it to the PDF.
11
Reposition your signature. Tap and drag your signature to the location in which you want to apply it.
12
Share the document. If you want to send your signed PDF to someone, tap the "Share"
icon (iPhone) or the "Share" icon
(Android), then select a way to share the PDF (e.g., an email app) and fill out the message as needed.
- For example, if you wanted to send your PDF in an email, you would tap Share, tap your preferred email app, enter a recipient's email address, subject, and message, and tap Send.
13
Tap Done. It's in the top-right corner of the screen. Doing so saves your PDF.
- On Android, you'll just tap the "Back" button in the top-left corner of the screen to save your signature.