How to Add a Signature to PDF Document

Last updated on August 2nd, 2019 at 05:01 pm

No one like a paperwork today and therefore PDF comes to existence. And also the traditional way of adding the signature on the hard copy is getting minimized. So here we are going to provide a comprehensive guide on how to add a signature to PDF file.

There are different ways to add a signature to the PDF file. But there is a lot of difference in adding just a signature and placing a verified digital signature. Here we are going to cover all the aspects so that everything clear in your mind. Most of the smartphones such as Android and iPhone offers a feature to add a signature to any of the document but these are not verified. For a verified signature, you have to go for paid services.

Verified Signatures are also sub divided into two categories. Electronic signature and Digital signature. There are some difference in both and let us check out what exactly they mean.

Electronic Signature

Electronic sign is Quick sign you add on invoices, documents and bills. In other word, if you are dealing with general paper work then Electronic signature is sufficient for you.

Digital Signature

Digital sign is more advanced, highly authenticated, and more authorized. This is widely used in a notary or third-party witness where you require a high level of security. When you add a digital signature on your document then that document is encrypted and locked. For a digital signature, you have to go for the third-party tool.

Where you can add electronic signature?

The most common question now a days is do the electronic signature are legal. The answer is YES! If you create an ID and set a verified digital signature then this is legal and only you have authentication to make changes to that document. It is widely used by firms for online contracts.

How to Sign a PDF Document

If you are looking for the best solution to add Signature to your PDF file then definitely we recommend you to go for the third-party tool which is way more convenient than any other options.

If you have more PDF related work in addition to signing a PDF then you must go for PDF editors which have many advanced features that make your productivity much faster. You can go for Nitro Productivity Suite (for Windows users) and PDFelement (for Mac and Windows users). These are definitely worth. Otherwise, if you are only concerned about the signature on different platforms such as online attachments from Gmail, Google Docs, Dropbox, and other GSuits then go for HelloSign.

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Now let us check how you can add signature on Windows, Mac, and on your smartphone as with in-built features.

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Adding Signature to PDF on Windows PC

As you already have Adobe Acrobat on your Windows PC and here we are going to use this to add signature on your PDF file. Follow some simple steps here.

Open the PDF on Adobe Acrobat on your PC. For this, right-click on the PDF file and place a cursor on Open with> Adobe Acrobat.

On the Tool pane, click on Fill & Sign option.

Here click on Sign and then Add signature to create a new signature.

Now the pop up appears and ask you to choose among Type, Draw, and Image option. Choose as per your requirement and create a new signature. One done click on Apply button.

Now you can drag your signature anywhere on the document. You can also resize it to suit the area where you have to apply a signature.

With these steps you can easily add a signature on your PDF document.

Add Signature to PDF on Mac

MacBook offers the inbuilt option to create a sign on your PDF document and it is available on Preview. Let us check how to add signature on PDF from your MacBook.

Open a PDF on Preview app on your Mac and tap on Markup tool.

Now the toolbar appears on the top and from there tap on signature icon. You can either choose trackpad or camera option to add a signature. Here we are going to use a trackpad.

Now using trackpad using fingers create a new signature and click Done.

Now again tap on Sign icon, choose your signature. Drag and resize it on the PDF anywhere.

You can use the same signature as many time as you require or you can create a new signature with the same steps.

Add Signature to PDF from Phone

You can also add the signature right from your phone and here we are going to look at how to add a signature from your iPhone. You can also do it from using your Android phone. Follow some steps here.

Open PDF on your iPhone (mostly it is available on Books). Click on Markup tool and at the bottom, click on (+) icon. Now tap on the Signature option to add a new signature.

Draw your signature on the space and click Done option.

Now drag the signature anywhere on the PDF and you can resize is also.

With these steps you can easily add a signature on your iPhone.

Well, all these methods are used to add only a signature just like adding a text on a document but now we are going to see some of the best productivity tools to add a sign to your PDF.

Adding a signature to PDF using Nitro Productivity Suite

I personally love it as it is one of the best PDF software for Windows and the easiest solution of all. You can add digitally verified signature using this. Let us check how it works.

Open Nitro Pro Website
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Launch Nitro Pro once you have installed it on your PC.

Open the document on Nitro Pro. From the File tab, for a quick electronic signature, you can go for QuickSign, otherwise, for the verified signature you have to create one. For that go to Create ID.

Create Signature to PDF using PDFelement

This is another top–rated PDF software and if you are Mac user then you must try this. Follow some simple steps

Open PDFelement Website
Download PDFelement >>

Download and Install PDFelement on your computer. Launch it.

Click on Open File and choose the PDF where you want to put a signature.

From the Protect tab, click on Sign Document option.

Click on the space where you wish to insert the signature and at the same time the dialogue box appears, click on New ID to add a new digital signature.

If you already have a digital signature, choose the existing sign-in option otherwise create a new one.

Once done, your signature is attached to the PDF file. You can drag it and resize accordingly.

Conclusion

I hope you find this information to add a digital signature to your PDF useful. An Electronic signature can be created with any of the free devices and tools but for the digital signature, you have to purchase a productivity tool.

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