Sign PDF Documents digitally

May 6, 2020

Adding your signature

If your document does not allow you to use the Fill & Sign feature, follow the instructions in the Document does not allow signatures section. Then, come back to this section and follow the steps for the program of your choice below. Instructions on signing a PDF using Preview (Mac only) are here.

Adobe Acrobat Reader

Windows & macOS

1) On the icon bar at the top, select the Fill & Sign icon. A new set of icons will appear.

Adobe Acrobat Reader sign tool

2) Click on the Sign icon and select Add Signature. A new window where you can select one of three signature options will pop up.

Adobe Acrobat Reader add signature
Adobe Acrobat Reader type signature
  • Type - simply type your name in the provided field
  • Draw - use your mouse or a digital pen to draw your signature
  • Image - select a properly cropped image file of your signature on paper

3) Click Apply to add your signature to the document

4) Position your mouse over the area where you want to insert your signature and click the left mouse button to place it down

Adobe Acrobat adjust signature size

5) Adjust your signature's size by clicking and dragging the blue circle on the bottom right of the rectangle surrounding it

6) Save your document to apply your signature

Mac Preview

1) Open your PDF in the Preview app in your Mac

2) At the top toolbar go to Tools > Annotate > Signature > Manage Signatures
3) Sign your name on a white sheet of paper and hold it up to the camera, OR sign your name on the trackpad to save an add the signature
4) Next, Go to Tools > Annotate > Signature and choose your signature to insert it in the PDF

Document does not allow signatures

If your PDF file does not allow you to use the “Fill & Sign” feature, follow the instructions below after filling all required fields (if any). Otherwise, go to the Adding your signature section.

Windows

Note: By following the steps bellow, you will create an unfillable copy of your document.

1) Go to File > Print

Adobe Acrobat Reader file print Foxit Reader print to pdf
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Foxit Reader

2) Select Microsoft Print to PDF as your printer

Adobe Acrobat Reader microsoft print to PDF Foxit Reader microsoft print to PDF
Adobe Acrobat Reader DC Foxit Reader

3) Click Print (Acrobat) or OK (Foxit)

4) Choose a destination for the filled PDF document

Once done, open the newly saved PDF document and follow the instructions in the Adding your signature section to add your signature.

macOS

Note: There is no appropriate method to make a restricted PDF document sign-able in macOS. The method described below is a workaround that creates a lower-quality copy of your document by exporting it as an image and converting said image to a PDF file. The copy you create will not be editable.

1) Open your document in Adobe Acrobat

2) Go to File > Export To > Image > TIFF and select a destination folder for the image of your PDF

macOS Acrobat export to TIFF

3) Go to File > Create > PDF from File... and select the image file you just saved

macOS Acrobat create PDF from file

Once the conversion is done, a PDF file of your filled form will open. You will then be able to follow the instructions in the Adding your signature section to add your signature.