How to Sign a PDF Online for Free
The days of printing a document, signing it by hand, and scanning it back in are over. This guide shows you how to add your signature to a PDF for free, directly in your browser — and because nothing is uploaded, it's safe even for sensitive agreements.
Three ways to create your signature
PDF for Joy lets you make a signature in whichever way suits you: draw it with your mouse or finger for a natural handwritten look, type your name and have it rendered in a handwriting style, or upload a photo or scan of your existing signature (a PNG with a transparent background works best).
Sign a PDF in 3 steps
- 1Open the Sign PDF tool and drop in your document. Its pages render on your device — nothing is uploaded to a server.
- 2Open the page you need to sign, click Sign, then draw, type or upload your signature and add it.
- 3Drag your signature onto the signature line, resize it to fit, then click Export to download the signed PDF.
Placing your signature perfectly
Once your signature is on the page you can drag it anywhere and resize it from the corner handle, so it sits neatly on the signature line at the right size. You can add it to more than one page, and combine it with typed text — handy for adding a date or printed name next to your signature.
Is an electronic signature valid?
In many countries, electronic signatures are legally recognised for a wide range of everyday documents. That said, requirements vary by jurisdiction and document type, so for anything high-stakes it's worth checking the rules that apply to you. Whatever you sign, PDF for Joy keeps the document entirely on your device — it's never uploaded.