How to Electronically Sign a PDF

What to Know

• Install Acrobat Adobe Reader DC on your computer and go to File > Open, then open your PDF file and select Sign > Add signature.
• Go to the DocuSign website and sign up for an account, then select Upload to open your PDF file.
• On iPhone/iPad, use Markup or Apple Books. On Mac, use Preview or your camera.

Don't have a scanner? You can still electronically sign a PDF using DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Reader DC with no cost to you.

How to Electronically Sign a PDF on Your PC

There are a few ways to sign PDFs on your PC. As mentioned above, you can sign a piece of paper, scan it, and use the resulting image to insert into your PDF document using PDF editing software. However, that's a lot of work.

A much easier way is to use Adobe Acrobat Reader DC (it's free) or a service like DocuSign, which have built-in tools for creating electronic signatures within PDF documents.

Anyone can use DocuSign or Adobe Reader DC. However, iPhone/iPad users can also use Markup or Apple books and Mac users can use Preview or your camera, too.

How to Electronically Sign a PDF with Adobe Acrobat Reader DC

Adobe Acrobat Reader DC is one of the easiest tools for electronically signing PDFs. The application is available for free online, and will let you sign PDFs without having to download the full-fledged, paid version of Adobe Acrobat.

1. Go to the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC website and download and install the Windows version of Acrobat Adobe Reader DC to your computer. Follow the step-by-step instructions to complete the installation to your computer.

   

2. Launch the Adobe Acrobat Reader DC application. Inside the application, select File > Open, then open your PDF file.

   

3. When your PDF is open, select Sign > Add signature.

   

4. You should now see a window where you can add your own custom signature. Enter your name in the signature area, then select Apply. To change the style, select Change style on the right.

   

5. You should now see a small box with your signature inside of your PDF file. Drag the box to the section of the PDF where you want the signature to appear.

   

6. Save your PDF.

How to Electronically Sign a PDF with DocuSign

Like Adobe Reader DC, DocuSign lets you sign documents for free. However, to request signatures from others using the software, you have to pay for a subscription. Here's how to use DocuSign to sign a PDF electronically.

1. Go to the DocuSign website and sign up for an account. You'll need to provide a valid email address to activate the account.

   

2. Once the account is activated, log in to DocuSign and select Upload to open your PDF file.

   

3. Next, check the box next to I'm the only signer checkbox, then select Sign.

   

4. On the left-hand side, select Signature, then select the yellow box and drag it to the field where you want the signature to go.

   

5. Next, create your signature by typing in your name. Select Adopt and sign.

   

6. Your document is now signed. If needed, add additional signatures by repeating step 4, then select Finish.