Guide
How to sign a PDF online, for free.
You don't need Adobe Acrobat, DocuSign, or even an email address. With pdf2sign, you can sign any PDF in your browser in under a minute. Here is the full walkthrough.
Step 1 — Open pdf2sign and pick your PDF
Head to pdf2sign.app/sign. You'll see a drop zone labelled "Drop a PDF here or click to choose". You have two options:
- Drag a PDF from your file explorer (or the desktop) onto the drop zone.
- Click the drop zone to open your system file picker and choose a PDF.
Your browser reads the file directly from disk using the File API — nothing is uploaded. If you want to confirm, open DevTools → Network tab and watch: you'll see the initial page assets load, and then silence while you work.
Step 2 — Create your signature
pdf2sign offers three ways to make a signature. Pick whichever suits the document — you can combine them, too.
Option A — Draw
Tap the signature panel and draw with your mouse, trackpad, finger, or stylus. The canvas captures the full pixel density of your device, so the result stays crisp when you enlarge it on the page. On mobile, the pad opens full-screen for a natural signing motion.
Option B — Type
Type your name into the text input and choose one of four handwriting fonts (Dancing Script, Caveat, Great Vibes, Pacifico). pdf2sign renders the text into a transparent PNG behind the scenes so it drops cleanly onto the PDF.
Option C — Upload
If you already have a signature on paper, take a photo of it on a white sheet, upload the image, and pdf2sign will strip the white background for you. PNG, JPG, and GIF all work.
Step 3 — Place it, resize, download
Drag the signature onto the signature line of your PDF. Use the corner handles to resize. The signature stays pixel-perfect at any size because it's a vector-friendly PNG.
Click the Download button in the top right. pdf-lib runs in your browser, merges your signature into the PDF, and hands the file to your browser's download mechanism. Your Downloads folder gets a signed copy; the original is untouched.
Signing on specific devices
The general flow is the same everywhere, but each platform has tiny quirks (where the download lands, how the share sheet behaves, etc). Full walkthroughs for the common ones:
- Sign a PDF on iPhone (iOS Safari)
- Sign a PDF on Android (Chrome)
- Sign a PDF on Mac
- Sign a PDF on Windows
Is an electronic signature legally binding?
For nearly all contracts, yes. The US ESIGN Act (2000) and state-level UETA laws treat electronic signatures as equivalent to wet-ink signatures. The EU's eIDAS regulation does the same across the EU and EEA. The UK, Canada, Australia, India, and most other major economies have equivalents. Typical exceptions: wills, some real-estate transactions, and anything requiring notarisation.
For high-stakes documents, check local requirements. For the 99% of day-to-day contracts — freelance agreements, rental riders, consent forms, NDAs — an electronic signature is all you need.
Common problems & fixes
"The PDF won't open"
Most often this means the PDF is password-protected. Open it in your PDF reader (Preview, Adobe Reader, Chrome), unlock it, and save an unlocked copy. Then drop that copy into pdf2sign.
"My signature looks fuzzy"
The most common cause is resizing a low-resolution upload too large. Switch to Draw mode and re-sign — it captures at your device's native pixel density and stays sharp at any size.
"The download didn't start"
Check your browser's download settings — some private / incognito windows block automatic downloads. Allow downloads from pdf2sign.app and try again.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sign a PDF without creating an account?
Yes. pdf2sign is free to use with no account and no email. An optional account lets you save signatures for reuse; everything else works without signing up.
Do I need to download any software?
No. Everything runs inside your browser. You do not install anything, and there are no browser extensions.
Is the signed PDF legally binding?
In most places, yes. Electronic signatures are recognised by US ESIGN/UETA, EU eIDAS, UK, Canadian, Australian, and most other jurisdictions for nearly all contract types. Exceptions include wills and documents requiring notarisation.
How do I sign a PDF on my phone?
Open pdf2sign.app/sign in your phone browser. The signature pad opens full-screen so you can draw comfortably with your finger or a stylus. Tap Download when done — the signed PDF goes to your Files or Downloads.
What if I need to add initials or a date as well?
You can add multiple signatures, text fields, and dates on the same page. Drag as many as you need, resize each, and download when the document looks right.
How do I remove the signature I added by mistake?
Click the signature on the page, then press the delete button that appears on the overlay. You can also drag the signature off the page.
What PDF versions are supported?
pdf2sign handles the PDF formats produced by Word, Google Docs, Preview, Adobe Acrobat, DocuSign, and the vast majority of modern tools. Encrypted or password-protected PDFs need to be unlocked first.
Now you know. Go sign.
It's free, it takes a minute, and your PDF never leaves your device.
Sign a PDF