You've received a contract, an agreement, a form, or an application as a PDF — and you need to sign it and send it back. The old way was to print it, sign by hand, scan it, and email it back. That process takes 10 minutes if you're lucky and requires a printer and scanner.
The modern way takes under a minute: sign the PDF electronically, right in your browser, and send it back without ever touching a piece of paper. This guide explains exactly how to do it for free — and covers everything you need to know about electronic signatures so you can use them confidently.
This is the first question most people ask, and the answer is: yes, in most countries and for most documents.
In the United States, the ESIGN Act (2000) and UETA (Uniform Electronic Transactions Act) give electronic signatures the same legal weight as handwritten signatures for the vast majority of contracts and agreements. The European Union's eIDAS regulation does the same across EU member states. Similar laws exist in the UK, Australia, Canada, India, and most other countries.
Electronic signatures are legally valid for:
There are a small number of document types that still require wet (physical) signatures in some jurisdictions — such as wills, property deeds, and certain court documents. For anything in that category, check local legal requirements first. For the vast majority of everyday documents, an electronic signature is perfectly legal and binding.
These terms sound similar but mean different things:
Electronic signature is the broad term for any electronic indication of intent to sign — this includes drawing your signature, typing your name, clicking "I agree," or uploading an image of your handwritten signature. It's the everyday kind used in contracts, forms, and agreements.
Digital signature is a specific technical type of electronic signature that uses cryptographic keys to verify both the signer's identity and that the document hasn't been altered after signing. It's the kind used in high-security environments — banking systems, government portals, legal filings — and usually requires a certificate from a trusted authority.
For most people in most situations, an electronic signature (drawing or uploading your name) is exactly what's needed and is fully legally valid. Digital signatures in the cryptographic sense are only required for specific high-security use cases.
PDFWise's Sign PDF tool works entirely in your browser — your document is never uploaded to any server. Your signature and the signed PDF are created locally on your device.
Step 1: Go to the PDFWise Sign PDF tool.
Step 2: Click "Select PDF File" or drag your document onto the drop zone. The PDF will load and display in the signing interface.
Step 3: Create your signature. You have two options:
Step 4: Place your signature on the document. Click on the page where your signature should appear and drag to position it precisely. Resize if needed.
Step 5: Click "Apply Signature" to embed it into the PDF.
Step 6: Download the signed PDF. It's ready to email, upload, or share.
Free, private, instant. Your document never leaves your device.
Sign PDF Free →Signing PDFs on mobile is one of the most practical use cases — you receive a document by email on your phone and need to sign and reply without going near a computer.
On iPhone: Open Safari, go to pdfwise.online, tap Sign PDF. You can draw your signature with your finger directly on the touchscreen — this produces a very natural-looking handwritten signature. Download the signed PDF to your Files app and attach it to an email reply.
On Android: Open Chrome, go to pdfwise.online, tap Sign PDF. Draw your signature with your finger and download the completed document. It saves to your Downloads folder.
There's also a built-in option on iPhone worth knowing: open the PDF in the Mail app, tap the markup icon (pencil in a circle), and tap the signature tool. This works for simple cases but has fewer positioning options than a dedicated tool.
Some PDFs are created with designated interactive signature fields — you'll see a box with a pen icon or "Sign here" placeholder when you open the document. These are called fillable PDF form fields.
When you click on one of these fields in the Sign PDF tool, it activates the signing interface directly in that location. The field defines the size and position, so your signature snaps into place correctly. This makes signing form-based documents very clean and precise.
If the PDF doesn't have a designated field, you can still place your signature anywhere on the page manually — just click where you want it, then drag and resize to fit.
When you sign important documents electronically, security matters. Here are best practices:
Most companies now send offer letters and employment agreements as PDFs. Instead of printing, signing, scanning, and emailing back (a process that can take hours), you can sign the PDF electronically and reply in minutes — which makes a great impression on your new employer.
Landlords and property management companies increasingly send tenancy agreements electronically. Being able to sign and return quickly can make the difference when competition for a property is high.
If you're a freelancer, consultant, or small business owner, you likely send and receive contracts regularly. Electronic signing speeds up the process for both you and your clients — projects can start faster when paperwork isn't the bottleneck.
Enrollment forms, consent forms, permission slips, and administrative documents from educational institutions are often sent as PDFs. Electronic signing saves the print-sign-scan loop.
Insurance applications, policy documents, and financial agreements frequently require signatures. Signing these electronically is accepted by most insurance companies and financial institutions.
Yes, technically — PDF metadata can show that content was added after creation. However, this is no different from any other form of electronic editing, and electronic signatures are explicitly recognized as valid by law. The important thing is that the signature represents genuine intent to sign, which it does.
Some institutions or individuals still insist on a physical handwritten signature for specific documents. In those cases, print the document, sign by hand, and either scan it back or photograph each page and convert the images to PDF using the JPG to PDF tool.
Yes — you can add multiple signature elements to the same document. Some contracts require initials on each page and a full signature at the end. You can add each one separately by repeating the signature placement process for each location.
Yes, completely free. No account required, no per-document fee, and no watermark added to your signed document.
Signing a PDF electronically is faster, easier, and just as legally valid as a handwritten signature for almost all everyday documents. PDFWise makes it completely free — draw or type your signature in the browser, position it on the document, and download the signed PDF in under a minute. No printer, no scanner, no paper. Whether you're on a laptop or signing from your phone, the process is the same and takes about 60 seconds from start to finish.