How to Sign a PDF — Free on Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android & Browser
How to sign a pdf is one of the most common PDF tasks — and you do not need DocuSign, Adobe Acrobat, or any paid software to do it. This guide covers the free methods: a browser tool that works on any device, Mac Preview, the iPhone Files app, and the options on Windows.
⚠️ Always use a copy of your document, never the original. Keep your original file safe.
Fastest method: Go to rapidtools.online/sign-pdf in any browser, upload your PDF, draw, type, or upload your signature, drag it into place, and click Apply Signature & Download. No account, no upload — it runs entirely in your browser. On Mac: Preview → Markup toolbar → Signature. On iPhone: the Files app (open the PDF → Markup → + → Add Signature) or RapidTools in Safari.
Drawn — you sign with a mouse, trackpad, or finger. It looks the most like your handwriting.
Typed — you type your name and it appears in a cursive handwriting font. Fast and tidy.
Uploaded image — a photo or scan of your signature on paper. The closest look to a wet-ink signature.
⚖️ Legal validity: in many countries you do not need a specific platform to sign electronically. Laws such as the US ESIGN Act and UETA, the EU eIDAS Regulation, and similar laws in the UK and Canada accept electronic signatures for most everyday contracts when there is clear intent to sign, the signer can be identified, and both sides agree to sign electronically. Some documents — such as wills, certain real estate transfers, and documents that must be notarised — usually still need a handwritten or certified signature. When it matters, check the rules for your document and location, or ask a lawyer.
⚠️ Important: none of the free methods below make a cryptographic digital signature (one that uses a certificate and shows if the file was changed later). If you need that, use a certified e-signature service with an audit trail.
1
Browser Tool — Any Device
Works on Mac, Windows, Chromebook, iPhone, and Android with nothing to install and no account. Your PDF is shown with PDF.js and signed with pdf-lib, both running in your browser, so the file never leaves your device.
Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge. No sign-up or extension needed.
2
Upload your PDF
Drag it onto the upload area or click to choose it. It stays in your browser.
⚠️ Always use a copy of your document, never the original. Keep your original file safe.
3
Create your signature
Choose Draw (mouse or finger), Type (your name in a cursive font), or Upload (a PNG, JPG, or WebP image). Pick black, blue, or a custom ink colour, then click Use This Signature →.
4
Drag it into place
The signature appears on the page. Drag it to the signature line. Use the S, M, or L size buttons, or drag the small square in its bottom-right corner to resize it.
5
Choose the pages
Under Apply To, pick Current page only, All pages, or Specific pages (for example 1, 3, 5-8). Use Prev and Next to move between pages.
6
Click Apply Signature & Download
The signature is drawn into the page and the signed PDF downloads. Open it and check the placement before you send it.
Placing Your Signature, Date, and Initials
Besides the signature, you can switch on two more items under Elements. Each one is dragged into place on its own:
Date — filled in with today’s date (for example October 1, 2026). You can edit the text to any format.
Initials — a small initials mark, handy for documents that must be initialled on every page.
All pages puts the items at the same spot on every page. For a contract that needs a full signature on the last page and initials everywhere else, do it in two passes: sign the last page first and download, then open that file again and add initials to all pages.
💡 Blue ink makes a printed signed copy easy to tell apart from a black-and-white photocopy.
How to Make a Good Signature Image
Sign with a black or blue pen on clean white paper.
Photograph it flat, in good light, with the camera directly above.
Crop it tightly, leaving a little space around the edges.
For the cleanest result, remove the white background and save it as a PNG. On a Mac, Preview’s Instant Alpha tool (in the Markup toolbar) can do this. A JPG always keeps its background, so it shows as a box on the page.
✍️ Drawing tips: sign slowly and a little larger than you would on paper — the tool trims the empty space and scales the signature down to fit.
2
Mac Preview — Built In
Preview has a signature feature that most people never find. You create your signature once and reuse it, and the file never leaves your Mac.
Double-click the file, or right-click → Open With → Preview.
2
Show the Markup toolbar
Click the pen-tip icon, or choose View → Show Markup Toolbar.
3
Click the Signature button
A list of saved signatures appears, plus an option to create one.
4
Create your signature (first time only)
Sign on the trackpad, hold a signature on white paper up to the camera, or — on recent macOS versions — draw it on a nearby iPhone or iPad.
5
Place and resize it
Choose the signature, drag it to the line, and drag the handles to resize it.
6
Save
Press Cmd+S to save, or File → Export as PDF to keep the unsigned original.
ℹ️ Preview adds the signature as an image annotation. It is not a cryptographic digital signature — there is no certificate and no audit trail — but it is fine for everyday forms and agreements.
3
iPhone Files App — Built In
The Files app can open a PDF and add a signature with its Markup tool, with no extra app.
1
Open the PDF in the Files app
Find it in Downloads or search by name, and tap to open it.
2
Tap the Markup (pen) icon
The Markup toolbar appears.
3
Tap + and then Add Signature
Draw your signature with your finger or Apple Pencil, then tap Done.
4
Move and resize it
Drag the signature to the line and use the handles to resize it.
5
Tap Done
The signature is saved into the PDF.
💡 iOS remembers your signature, so next time you can tap it instead of drawing it again.
4
iPhone or Android — RapidTools in Your Browser
On Android, or when you want a typed signature, an uploaded image, a date, or initials, use RapidTools in Safari or Chrome.
Safari on iPhone, Chrome on Android. The signature pad works with your finger.
2
Upload the PDF
On iPhone, choose it from Files or iCloud Drive. On Android, choose it from Downloads, Google Drive, or your storage.
3
Draw, type, or upload your signature
If drawing with a finger feels awkward, the Type tab makes a clean cursive signature from your name.
4
Drag it into place and tap Apply Signature & Download
On iPhone the file goes to Downloads in the Files app. On Android it goes to Downloads.
Method 5 — Windows
Windows has no built-in signing tool, but there are free options:
RapidTools in Chrome or Edge (free, no upload): open rapidtools.online/sign-pdf, upload the PDF, add your signature, and download. Your file is processed in the browser.
Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download): open the PDF, choose Fill & Sign, and add a signature.
Microsoft Edge PDF viewer: its Draw tool lets you write on the PDF with a mouse or pen. It is a simple ink drawing, so it is only suitable for an informal mark.
After You Sign
Keep the signed PDF somewhere safe — it is your record of the agreement.
Lock it if it is private:Password Protect PDF adds a password needed to open it.
Send it carefully: for confidential documents, use a secure way to share the file rather than a plain email attachment.
Get a countersigned copy: if the other person also needs to sign, send them the file and ask for the countersigned PDF back.
For everyday forms and agreements, the free methods are enough. A service like DocuSign adds value when you need an audit trail that records who signed and when.
Sign Your PDF Free — Runs in Your Browser
Draw, type, or upload your signature, add a date or initials, and download — no account, no upload, no watermark.
✓ Draw, type, or upload✓ File never leaves your device✓ Date and initials✓ No account required
Frequently Asked Questions
Go to rapidtools.online/sign-pdf, upload your PDF, draw, type, or upload your signature, drag it into place, and click Apply Signature & Download. Your PDF and signature never leave your device.
In many countries, yes, for most everyday contracts — laws such as the US ESIGN Act and the EU eIDAS Regulation accept them when there is clear intent to sign. Some documents, such as wills and notarised papers, usually need more. Check the rules for your document.
An electronic signature is any mark that shows you intend to sign — drawn, typed, or an image. A digital signature uses a certificate to prove who signed and to show if the file changed later. RapidTools and Preview make electronic signatures.
Yes. Use the Markup tool in the Files app (open the PDF, tap the pen icon, tap +, then Add Signature), or open rapidtools.online/sign-pdf in Safari.
Yes. Switch on Date and Initials under Elements. Each one can be dragged into place on its own, and the date starts as today’s date.
Yes. Under Apply To, choose All pages to put the signature at the same spot on every page, or Specific pages to choose pages such as 1, 5, 8-12.
Sign it yourself, download it, and send it to the next person to sign with any method. If you need a record of who signed and when, use a dedicated e-signature service with an audit trail.
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