How to Add Your Signature to a Document on Your Computer

You've got a document that needs your signature. Your printer is out of ink, broken, or just not worth the hassle. Here's how to sign it without leaving your desk.

It takes under two minutes. Works on Windows, Mac, and any browser. And the signature sticks, meaning it saves permanently into the document.

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The Quickest Way: Sign in Your Browser (Any Device)

If you want zero setup and it to just work, this is your option.

1. Go to EveryTask's PDF Editor
2. Upload your document
3. Click Sign, then draw your signature with your mouse or trackpad, or type your name
4. Drag the signature onto the document where it needs to go
5. Download the signed file

Your document never leaves your browser. Nothing is uploaded to a server, which matters when you're dealing with contracts, HR forms, or anything sensitive.

Best for: Any computer, any browser, no account needed.

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On a Mac: Use Preview (Already Installed)

Preview is Mac's built-in PDF viewer and it handles signatures natively. Most people don't know it's there.

1. Open the document in Preview (double-click any PDF)
2. Click the markup toolbar icon (pencil tip) in the top right
3. Click the signature icon (looks like a cursive line)
4. Choose Create Signature
5. Draw on your trackpad, sign on a piece of paper and hold it up to your camera, or type your name
6. Click Done, then click your saved signature to place it
7. Drag and resize it into position
8. Save with Cmd + S

Your signature is saved for future use. Next time you open a document in Preview, your signature is already there waiting.

Best for: Mac users who want a fully offline, no-install solution.

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On Windows: Use Adobe Acrobat Reader (Free)

Windows doesn't have a built-in equivalent to Preview for signing, but Adobe Acrobat Reader is free and does the job well.

1. Download Adobe Acrobat Reader if you don't have it
2. Open your document in Acrobat Reader
3. Click Fill & Sign in the right panel (or go to Tools, then Fill & Sign)
4. Click Sign yourself, then Add Signature
5. Draw, type, or upload an image of your handwritten signature
6. Place it on the document
7. Save

The free version of Acrobat Reader covers everything here. You don't need a paid Adobe subscription.

Best for: Windows users who want a desktop app with saved signatures.

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For Word Documents (.docx): Use Microsoft Word

If the document is a Word file rather than a PDF, you can sign it directly in Word.

1. Open the document in Microsoft Word
2. Click where you want the signature to go
3. Go to Insert, then Pictures
4. Upload a photo or scan of your handwritten signature
5. Resize and position it
6. Save the file

For a cleaner result, sign on white paper with a dark pen, photograph it, and remove the background using a free tool before inserting it. This gives you a transparent signature that sits cleanly on the page.

If you need a proper digital signature with a timestamp rather than a visual signature image, Word also supports this under Insert, then Signature Line.

Best for: Documents sent as .docx files where the recipient expects a Word file back.

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Which Method Should You Use?

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Does a Digital Signature Count as a Real Signature?

For most everyday documents, yes. Drawn or typed digital signatures are legally recognized in the US under the ESIGN Act and across the EU under eIDAS. Leases, client contracts, permission forms, and HR paperwork all hold up with a digital signature.

The exception is documents requiring notarization or a certified digital certificate. Those have specific requirements that go beyond a drawn signature. If you're unsure whether your document falls into that category, check with whoever sent it.

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Stop Waiting on Your Printer

You don't need to print, sign, scan, and email back. Every method above takes under two minutes and produces a document the other party can open, read, and accept.

Sign your document now with EveryTask. Free, no account, nothing stored on our servers.

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Already signed? EveryTask also lets you merge PDFs, compress them, rotate pages, and more. All free, all in your browser.