How to Electronically Sign a PDF (3 Simple Ways)

Signing a PDF used to mean printing it, signing with a pen, scanning it back to your computer, and emailing the result — a workflow that assumes you own a printer, a scanner, and the patience of a saint. Today, none of that is necessary. Here are three simple, legally binding ways to electronically sign a PDF, whether you're on a Chromebook, a MacBook, or a phone.

Way 1: Use a free browser-based tool

The fastest option, and the one that works on any device with a browser, is a web-based e-signature tool. There's no software to install, no account to create, and the entire process takes about a minute.

1. Open the tool and drag your PDF into the upload area. With eSign Services, you can sign your PDF online without creating an account.
2. Type your name in a signature-style font, or draw your signature with your mouse, trackpad, or finger.
3. Place the signature where it belongs on the page, then download the signed PDF.

The signed document includes an audit trail — a timestamped record of when and how the signature was applied — which is what makes it enforceable under U.S. law.

Way 2: Use Adobe Acrobat Reader (free version)

Adobe's free Reader includes a Fill & Sign tool that works entirely on your computer. It's a good option if you sign documents offline frequently or handle sensitive files you'd rather not upload anywhere.

1. Install Adobe Acrobat Reader (free) and open your PDF.
2. Click the Fill & Sign tool in the right pane.
3. Click Sign yourself, then either type, draw, or upload an image of your signature.
4. Place it on the page, then save the file.

The downside: you have to install and update software, and Reader's interface changes with every major release. For occasional signing on a single machine, it's fine. For sending a document to someone else to sign, it's the wrong tool.

Way 3: Use Preview on Mac

Macs have built-in signature capture through the Preview app's Markup toolbar. It's free, offline, and reasonably fast — but Mac-only.

1. Open the PDF in Preview.
2. Click the Markup toolbar icon (looks like a marker tip), then the signature icon.
3. Create a signature using your trackpad, your camera (hold a signed sheet of paper up), or your iPhone.
4. Drag the signature onto the page and save.

Which one should you use?

All three produce signatures that are legally binding under the ESIGN Act and UETA — see our full breakdown of e-signature law for the details.

The bottom line

For signing a document yourself in under a minute, the browser tool wins. For signing offline on your own computer, Adobe Reader or Mac Preview both work. And if you need someone else to sign — a client, a vendor, a co-signer — none of the offline tools help; you'll need a service that can email a signing link on your behalf. See how to request a signature on a PDF for that workflow, or try eSign Services to send your first signature request now.