Three Types of PDF Signatures
- Drawn signature — sign with your mouse, trackpad, or finger (on touch screens). Most natural-looking, unique to you.
- Typed signature — type your name in a cursive or handwriting font. Fast, but less personal.
- Uploaded image — photograph or scan your ink signature, remove the background, upload as PNG. Highest fidelity to your real signature.
Electronic vs. Digital Signatures
These terms are often confused:
- Electronic signature — any electronic indication of intent to sign (drawn image, typed name, checkbox). Simple, widely accepted for most documents.
- Digital signature — a cryptographic signature using a certificate issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA). Provides tamper-evidence and identity verification. Required for high-assurance documents (government forms, notarized contracts in some jurisdictions).
For most everyday signing (NDAs, rental agreements, vendor contracts), an electronic signature is legally sufficient under the US eSign Act and EU eIDAS.
Placing the Signature
Good signing tools let you drag the signature to exact position. Signatures are typically placed:
- On a designated signature line (look for "Sign here" or an underline)
- At the bottom of the last page, above the date field
- On every page for multi-page contracts (initials)
Flatten After Signing
A signature placed as an annotation can be moved or deleted by the recipient. Flatten the PDF after signing to bake the signature into page content, preventing modification. Then send the flattened copy.
Sign a PDF Now
Open ToolsVito's Sign PDF, draw or upload your signature, position it on the page, and download the signed document — entirely private, nothing leaves your browser.