How to Sign a PDF for Free (No Software)

Method 1: On iPhone or iPad (Markup)

1. Open the PDF in the Files app or from Mail.
2. Tap the Markup icon (the pen tip), then the plus button, and choose Signature.
3. Draw your signature once with your finger or Apple Pencil — it is saved for reuse.
4. Drag it onto the signing line, resize, and share the file back.

Method 2: On Mac (Preview)

1. Open the PDF in Preview and click the Markup toolbar.
2. Click the Signature icon, then Create Signature — use the trackpad or hold a signed piece of paper up to the camera.
3. Place it on the document, resize, and save.

Method 3: On Windows or Android (image overlay)

Windows and Android do not have a built-in signature tool as polished as Apple's, so the reliable approach is to drop in a signature image:

1. Create a signature image first — type your name into our free signature generator and download it as a transparent PNG.
2. Open the PDF in a free editor (many browsers and PDF apps let you add an image).
3. Insert the PNG, position it on the signature line, and export the PDF.

Because the PNG has a transparent background, it sits cleanly over the document instead of showing a white box.

Stylised signature vs. legal e-signature

This is the important part. A signature image is perfect for letters, creative work, internal forms, and anything where you simply want to look signed. But a picture of your signature is not the same as a legally binding electronic signature.

For contracts that must hold up legally — employment agreements, property documents, anything with real consequences — use a dedicated e-signature service that records an audit trail (who signed, when, and from where). Our tool creates beautiful signature images; it does not provide that legal audit trail, and we will always tell you so plainly.

Quick summary

For everyday signing, generate a transparent PNG of your signature once and reuse it everywhere. For anything legally binding, use a certified e-signature provider. If you just need the image, start here.