How to Add a Signature to a PDF Free — No Adobe Subscription

You don't need to print anything, and you don't need to pay for software. Every major device already includes a free way to add a signature to a PDF:

• Mac: open the PDF in Preview → Markup → Sign.
• Windows: open it in the free Adobe Acrobat Reader → Fill & Sign.
• iPhone / iPad: tap the Markup pen → + → Add Signature.
• Android: use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader app → Fill & Sign.
• Any browser: use a free web signing tool — nothing to install.

In every case you create your signature once (draw it, type it, or photograph your handwritten one), drop it onto the page, resize it, and save. The sections below walk through each platform click by click.

How to Sign a PDF on Mac (Preview — Built In, Free)

Preview, the PDF viewer included with every Mac, has signing built in:

1. Double-click the PDF so it opens in Preview.
2. Click the Markup button (the pen-tip icon) in the toolbar.
3. Click the Sign button, then Create Signature.
4. Choose how to capture your signature:
   • Trackpad: draw it with your finger.
   • Camera: sign white paper in dark ink and hold it up to the camera — Preview lifts the signature off the page with a transparent background.
   • iPhone: draw on your iPhone or iPad screen and it appears on the Mac.
5. Click your saved signature to place it on the page, then drag it into position and resize with the corner handles.
6. Save with File → Save, or File → Export as PDF if you want to keep an unsigned copy.

Preview remembers your signature, so the next document takes about ten seconds.

How to Sign a PDF on Windows (Free)

Windows doesn't ship a signing tool, but the free Adobe Acrobat Reader covers it:

1. Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat Reader (the free version is enough).
2. Choose Fill & Sign (in newer versions: E-Sign → Add signature).
3. Pick Type (a handwriting-style font), Draw (mouse, stylus, or touchscreen), or Image (a photo of your real signature).
4. Click Apply, click the spot where the signature belongs, and resize as needed.
5. Save the file — done.

No-install alternative: open the PDF in Microsoft Edge and use the Draw tool to write your signature directly on the page, then save. You have to redraw it each time, but it works in a pinch.

How to Sign a PDF on iPhone or iPad (Markup — Built In)

1. Open the PDF from Files, Mail, or Messages.
2. Tap the Markup icon (the pen tip).
3. Tap the + button, then Add Signature.
4. Draw your signature with your finger or Apple Pencil and tap Done.
5. Drag the signature into place, resize it with the corner handles, and tap Done to save.

Your signature is stored for reuse, so future documents take two taps. From Mail, you can sign a PDF attachment and reply with the signed copy without ever leaving the email.

How to Sign a PDF on Android (Free)

1. Install the free Adobe Acrobat Reader app and open the PDF in it.
2. Tap the edit (pencil) icon, then Fill & Sign.
3. Tap the pen icon and choose Create signature, then draw it with your finger.
4. Tap the page where the signature should go, resize it, and confirm.
5. The signed copy saves automatically — share it straight from the app.

On many Android devices you can also open a PDF in Google Drive and use the annotation pen to write a signature without installing anything.

How to Sign a PDF in Your Browser (Any Device)

On a locked-down work laptop or a Chromebook where you can't install apps:

1. Open a free web signing tool such as Adobe's online Fill & Sign, Smallpdf, or DocuSign.
2. Upload your PDF.
3. Create your signature (type, draw, or upload an image), place it on the page, and download the signed file.

One caution: you're uploading the document to a third-party server. For sensitive contracts or financial paperwork, prefer the offline options above.

Is a Signature Added This Way Legally Valid?

For most everyday documents, yes. Electronic signatures are legally binding in the US under the ESIGN Act, in the EU and UK under eIDAS, and under similar laws in most countries — covering contracts, offer letters, leases, NDAs, and permission slips.

Two terms worth knowing:

• An electronic signature is what this guide creates: your signature placed on the document plus your intent to sign. That's sufficient for most agreements.
• A digital signature is certificate-based: it cryptographically verifies the signer's identity and that the file wasn't altered afterward. Some government filings and high-value transactions require this, which means using a provider like Adobe Sign or DocuSign with identity verification.

A small set of documents — wills, certain deeds, anything requiring a notary — may still need wet-ink signatures depending on your jurisdiction, so check before e-signing those.

FAQ

Can I add a signature to a PDF without Adobe Acrobat?

Yes. Preview on Mac and Markup on iPhone/iPad are built into the operating system, Microsoft Edge can draw a signature on Windows, and free web tools work on any device. Acrobat Reader is simply the most polished free option on Windows and Android.

How do I sign a PDF without printing and scanning?

Capture your signature digitally once — draw it on a trackpad or phone screen, or photograph your paper signature — and place that saved signature onto any PDF using the steps above. The result is cleaner than a scan and takes a fraction of the time.

Is it really free?

Yes. Everything in this guide — Preview, Markup, Acrobat Reader's Fill & Sign, Edge — is free with no trial or watermark. You only pay when you need to request signatures from other people with tracking, reminders, and audit trails.

How do I get someone else to sign my PDF?

Send them the file with a note pointing at the steps for their device. If you need tracked, audited signature requests across multiple signers, that's where paid e-signature services like DocuSign, Adobe Sign, or Dropbox Sign come in.

Can I change or remove a signature after saving?

Before you save, every tool above lets you move, resize, or delete the placed signature. After saving, the signature is flattened into the page in most free tools — so keep an unsigned copy of important documents.

After You Sign: Do More With Your PDFs

Signing is usually the last step of paperwork. But if the PDF in front of you is a textbook chapter, lecture handout, or research paper, Scholarly's PDF tools can turn it into something you can actually study — ask questions grounded in the document itself, or run it through the free PDF summarizer to pull out the parts worth learning before exam week.

Related PDF guide: How to Convert PDF to JPG: A Step-by-Step Guide.