How to Sign a PDF Document on a Computer.
It used to be the norm that important documents were signed via pen and paper. However, hard copy paperwork can be lost or damaged and takes up space. Increasingly, documents that need signing are sent digitally. But that potentially creates a problem. How do you sign?
You could print out the relevant documents, sign them and scan them to your computer. But there’s a quicker, easier way. If the documents are PDFs, you can sign them electronically.
Find out how to sign PDFs on a computer and make life easier.
What you’ll learn
How to sign PDF online in minutes.
When on a computer, you can go online and sign your PDF securely in minutes using the free version of Adobe Acrobat. It's fast, simple, secure, and requires no app downloads.
Here’s how to sign a PDF online using Adobe Acrobat:
- Visit Adobe Acrobat online and sign in.
- Drag and drop (or upload) your PDF document here
- Click on ‘E-Sign’ at the top to bring up the signing options.
- Click on ‘Add signature’.
- Select the preferred electronic signature option and add it to your PDF.
How to sign PDF on Windows.
Adobe Acrobat is the world’s most popular tool for signing PDFs locally on Windows. The cloud-backed, AI-driven tool allows you to save your signature and use it as many times as you want - saving you time and effort.
To sign a PDF:
- Download the free Adobe Acrobat tool for Windows
- Open the PDF document or form that requires your signature.
- Click on ‘Sign’ on the top.
- Now choose ‘Fill & Sign’.
- This will bring up further options. You can type and sign your name or add your own signature.
- Click on ‘Add signature’.
- The signature panel will be displayed. This gives you a signature line and different options on how to sign your document. ‘Type’, ‘Draw’ or ‘Image’.
Type: Simply type your name on the signature line.
Draw: Using your mouse/trackpad, draw your signature on the signature line.
Image: Browse your computer for an image of your signature, which you can then open and add.
- When you’re happy with the signature you’ll be using, click on the blue ‘Save’ button.
- You’ll see a miniature version of your signature on the PDF in a rectangualar box. Use this to resize and position your electronic signature.
- Left-click and the electronic signature will be positioned, with options to change the size or style, or delete the field. Left-click again and the signature is positioned on the PDF. Your signature will be saved for the next time you need to sign a document electronically.
Frequently asked questions.
How do I fill out and sign a PDF form online?
To fill out a PDF form online and then sign it, open a PDF document in Acrobat using the Fill and Sign tool.
- Click on ‘Sign’ in the top left.
- In the icons visible under ‘FILL AND SIGN YOURSELF’, click the one on the far left.
- This will bring up an empty text box that you can position with your cursor, to fill in fields.
- Type within the empty box, then left-click elsewhere to bring up a new empty text box for you to position.
Why can’t I add a signature to a PDF?
There are several reasons why you may not be able to add an electronic signature to a PDF. First, try closing and reopening the PDF, as it could be a temporary software bug. If that doesn’t work, try updating your PDF reader software. If you’re still having problems, the file could be set to read-only mode.
How do I deactivate read-only mode to add a signature to a PDF?
If you need to deactivate read-only mode on a PDF when working in Windows, right-click on the file and select ‘Properties’. In the ‘General’ tab, check to see if the read-only option box is activated. If it is, untick it.
If you need to deactivate read-only mode on a PDF when working on a Mac, select the PDF and choose ‘File > Info’. Under ‘Sharing & Permissions’, select ‘Read & Write’.