How to Sign a PDF Without Printing or Scanning
Add a visible signature to any PDF in your browser: type, draw, or upload it, drag it into position, and download. Plus what an electronic signature is legally.
The print-sign-scan ritual is dead. You can place a clean, visible signature on a PDF in under a minute — and unlike most e-sign services, it doesn't require an account, a subscription, or uploading the contract anywhere.
Three ways to create the signature
Typed signatures render your name in handwriting-style, italic, or clean fonts — fastest, and fine for everyday agreements.
Drawn signatures use your finger, trackpad, or mouse on a signing pad and capture your actual hand.
Uploaded signatures use a photo or scan of your signature on white paper; the tool places it as an image you can drag and resize anywhere on the page.
Placing and verifying
After creating the signature, drag it exactly where it belongs — the signature line, the field, the corner. Add initials, your printed name, or the date with one click each. The page preview shows the final placement before anything is written.
When you apply the signature, it is flattened into the page as permanent content and the output is verified before download.
Is an electronic signature legal?
In the US (ESIGN Act and UETA), the EU (eIDAS 'simple electronic signature'), and many other jurisdictions, a visible electronic signature is generally legally valid for most contracts — the intent and identity matter more than the ink.
What it is not: a certificate-backed digital signature. Cryptographic signing embeds a verifiable identity certificate and tamper detection. Neither this tool nor most online signers provide that; regulated or high-stakes contexts may require it. Honest tools say so — PrivatePDF labels this clearly on the signing page.