Sign PDF Online - Draw, Type, or Upload Signature Free

A PDF sign tool lets you place a signature on a PDF page without printing, signing with ink, and scanning back. This page supports three input methods: drawing on an HTML canvas, typing your name in a script-style font that renders to PNG, or uploading an existing signature image. pdf-lib embeds the result with embedPng or embedJpg and composites it with drawImage at a preset position on the page you choose. The signature becomes a new image object in the PDF content stream - not a separate attachment - so recipients see it when they open the file in Chrome, Acrobat, or mobile readers.

This is a visual overlay, not a certified electronic signature. Platforms like DocuSign and Adobe Sign add identity verification, tamper-evident audit logs, and regulatory compliance under frameworks such as ESIGN in the United States and eIDAS in the European Union. This browser tool is honest about that boundary: it is ideal for informal agreements, internal sign-offs, school permission slips, and personal documents where a picture of your signature is enough. Do not rely on it for high-stakes contracts, real-estate closings, or regulated healthcare consents without understanding the legal limits in your jurisdiction and consulting counsel when enforceability matters.

Signing is different from filling AcroForm signature fields or watermarking. Form fillers write into interactive widgets defined by the PDF author; watermarks stamp semi-transparent text across pages. This tool places a bitmap signature at coordinates you choose - similar to pasting a PNG in a desktop editor, but automated with margin-aware presets. If the PDF already has a signature field widget, use the PDF fill form tool for field values, then optionally add a drawn signature here on a blank area.

Processing stays entirely on your device. pdf-lib and PDF.js load on demand; your PDF and signature bytes never POST to an API. The 50 MB cap from validatePdfUpload keeps save operations responsive in typical desktop browsers. Position presets (bottom-left, bottom-right, center) map to PDF coordinates with a bottom-left origin - the same convention Acrobat uses - so bottom-right matches where most people sign paper letters. Signature width scales to 180pt maximum so wide uploads do not dominate the page.

Most documents take under two minutes from upload to download. Nothing leaves your browser - suitable for drafts you are not yet ready to send through a certified e-sign vendor.

1. Upload your PDF - Drag and drop or click Choose PDF File. validatePdfUpload checks MIME type and the 50 MB limit before pdf-lib loads. PDF.js reports page count so you can confirm the signature page exists.
2. Create or upload your signature - Draw on the canvas with mouse or touch, type your name in script style (rendered to PNG on a canvas), or upload an existing PNG/JPG signature file. Clear the canvas and redraw if needed. Each path produces an image embedded into the PDF via embedPng or embedJpg.
3. Choose page and position - Enter the page number to sign (1-based index) and pick bottom-left, bottom-right, or center. Bottom-right is the default mental model for contract signature lines. Center works for approval stamps on cover pages.
4. Apply and download the signed PDF - Click Apply Signature to composite the image, then Download to save a new file. Your original upload on disk is never modified. Sign additional pages by re-uploading the output or processing separate exports and merging on PDF merge.

A tenant receives a three-page rental agreement as a PDF. Page 3 has a signature line at the bottom-right. Printing, signing, and scanning feels slow on a weeknight; they want a digital copy to email the landlord before the move-in date. The agreement is informal enough that a visual signature overlay is acceptable to both parties - they are not executing a notarized lease through a certified platform.

Steps on this page: upload the agreement, confirm three pages in the info panel, switch to Draw mode and sketch a signature on the canvas (or Type your legal name if you prefer a cleaner script look), set page to 3, choose bottom-right, click Apply Signature, then Download. Open the output in Chrome to verify the signature sits above the signature line without covering the date field. The landlord receives a readable signed page; both parties should understand this is a convenience overlay, not a notarized e-sign record with audit trail. If the lease later moves to a formal closing, re-execute on DocuSign or with wet ink as your jurisdiction requires.

Choose the right tool for the job. Visual PDF signing overlays an image; certified e-sign platforms add identity, audit trails, and legal frameworks. This page is free and private; enterprise platforms charge for compliance features you may not need on informal documents.

Use this page when you need a quick signature image on a PDF and privacy matters more than audit logs. Use DocuSign or Adobe Sign when contracts must hold up in court, when signers need SMS verification, or when your compliance team requires tamper-evident certificates. Many teams use both: visual sign on internal drafts, certified platform on final execution.

These are the failures the UI surfaces on purpose, plus jobs this page will not pretend to do.

• Not legally binding. Visual overlay only - no identity verification, no tamper-evident seal, no compliance claims under ESIGN, eIDAS, or similar regulations. Consult counsel for enforceable contracts.
• Invalid upload. Non-PDF files and files over 50 MB are rejected by validatePdfUpload before pdf-lib loads.
• Empty canvas. Draw mode requires at least one stroke before Apply. Type and Upload modes have their own validation - blank typed names and missing image files are blocked.
• One page per run. Sign additional pages by re-processing the output or signing separate exports and merging on PDF merge. There is no batch multi-page stamp in this version.
• Encrypted PDFs. pdf-lib cannot load password-locked files without credentials. Unlock locally in a desktop reader first.
• Signature size. Embedded at 180pt width; very wide uploads scale down proportionally. Tiny signatures may look faint when printed - redraw larger on the canvas if needed.
• Not AcroForm signature fields. This tool draws on page content. Interactive signature widgets in government forms need the fill form tool or a reader that supports field signing.
• Memory on huge files. Files near 50 MB may spike RAM during pdfDoc.save(). Close other tabs if the browser warns about memory.
• No undo after Apply. Keep the original upload or re-upload if placement is wrong. There is no drag-to-reposition after compositing.

PDF signing on this page runs entirely in your browser. pdf-lib and PDF.js load from the same origin as the app; your document and signature bytes are never POSTed to an API, never written to server logs, and never indexed. That makes the tool suitable for contract drafts, HR packets, and personal agreements - subject to your own device security policies. Clear downloads from shared computers when finished.

We do not persist uploads in localStorage. Closing the tab discards in-memory state except any file you explicitly downloaded. No account means no cross-device history. Your drawn signature exists only in the exported PDF - we do not store signature images for reuse across sessions. If you need the same PNG on many documents, save the upload file locally and re-select it each time.