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Sign PDF: the complete guide
Contracts, forms and approvals no longer need a printer and a scanner. Sign PDF lets you add your signature, initials, name and date to any PDF directly in your browser, without uploading the document anywhere.
What is Sign PDF?
Sign PDF is a tool that lets you add an electronic signature to a PDF document. You create your signature, place it where it belongs, and download a signed copy of the file.
Everything runs inside your browser using pdf.js and pdf-lib, so your document and your signature are never uploaded to a server.
Besides your signature you can add initials, your name, the date, free text and a company stamp, and place each one on any page.
When should you use it?
This tool is useful whenever a document needs your mark and printing it would be a hassle.
- Signing rental, employment or service agreements sent to you as a PDF.
- Approving invoices, purchase orders and quotations.
- Initialing every page of a long contract.
- Adding your name and the date to application and consent forms.
- Stamping a document with your company seal before sending it back.
The benefits
Printing, signing by hand and scanning again is slow and wasteful. Signing online keeps things simple:
- Sign from any device in a minute, with no printer or scanner.
- Create your signature once and reuse it on every page.
- Nothing leaves your device, so confidential documents stay private.
- Completely free, with no watermark added to the signed PDF.
- Your original file is untouched — you download a separate signed copy.
How the signing works
Each page of your PDF is displayed in the editor. When you place a field, its position and size are recorded relative to the page. When you click Sign, every field is converted into an image and drawn onto the matching page of your PDF at exactly that position, including pages that are rotated. The result is saved as a new PDF file on your device.
Common mistakes to avoid
A little care goes a long way when signing a document:
- Signing before you have read the whole document.
- Placing the signature over printed text so that it is hard to read.
- Making the signature far too small to be legible once printed.
- Assuming a simple electronic signature is accepted everywhere — some documents need a certified digital signature or a witness.
Tips for best results
A few small habits make the whole process smoother:
- Draw your signature with a mouse, trackpad or finger on a large area for a natural look.
- Upload a clear photo of your handwritten signature on white paper for the most realistic result.
- Use the all-pages button on the Initials field to initial every page at once.
- Choose the date format your recipient expects before placing the Date field.
- Keep a copy of the unsigned original for your records.