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Sign a PDF without printing

Printing, signing and scanning is still the reflex for a document that arrives by email. It wastes paper and time, and the scan you get back is usually worse than the original. Signing on screen takes seconds and produces a cleaner file.

A signature added this way is a simple electronic signature. In many places, including under the US ESIGN Act and the EU’s eIDAS regulation, that is valid for most everyday agreements, though some documents ask for a certificate-based digital signature or ink on paper instead.

Here is how to sign a PDF with no printer, no scanner and no upload.

Open the Sign PDF tool

How to Sign a PDF Without Printing It | LocalPDF

  1. 01

    Open the sign tool and add your PDF

    Go to the Sign PDF page and drop in the document. It is read on your device; nothing is uploaded.

  2. 02

    Create your signature

    Draw it with a mouse, finger or stylus, type it in a handwriting style, or upload a photo of your signature on paper and let the tool remove the background.

  3. 03

    Place it on the page

    Click where the signature belongs, then drag and resize it. Add initials, a date, text, or a tick where the form asks for one.

  4. 04

    Fill the rest, then download

    Copy a signature to every page if the document needs it, then save the signed PDF back to your device.

Questions

How do I sign a PDF without printing it?

Open the sign tool, add the PDF, and create your signature by drawing, typing or uploading a photo of it. Click where it goes, add a date or initials if needed, and download the signed file. No printer, scanner or upload is involved.

Is an on-screen signature legally binding?

In many places, including under the US ESIGN Act and the EU’s eIDAS regulation, a signature placed on a document like this is a valid electronic signature for most everyday agreements. Some documents need a certificate-based digital signature or ink on paper instead. If you are not sure, ask whoever sent the document.

Can I sign a PDF on my phone?

Yes. The sign tool works in the browser on a phone or tablet. Draw your signature with a finger or stylus, or type it. Placing and resizing the signature works with touch, and you can save the signed PDF to Files or iCloud.

Will signing break a digital signature already in the file?

No. Your signature is written as an update appended to the end of the PDF, so the original bytes, and any digital signature over them, stay exactly as they were. Readers will note that the document was changed after it was signed, which is expected.

Does my signature get uploaded or saved on a server?

No. Drawing, typing and placing all happen in your browser. If you choose to remember a signature, it is kept in your own browser storage on your device and can be forgotten at any time. Nothing is uploaded.

Make the signature look right

Drawn and typed signatures are added as vector graphics, so they stay sharp at any zoom or print size, unlike a photo of a signature, which softens when enlarged. If you sign the same kind of document often, tick “Remember on this device” and it stays in your browser for next time, never uploaded.

Your additions are written as an update appended to the end of the file. That keeps any digital signature already in the PDF intact; readers will note that the document was changed after it was signed, which is expected.

Is it legally valid?

For most everyday agreements in the US and the EU, a signature added on screen is a valid electronic signature. Some documents, such as a mortgage, a will or certain government forms, require a specific technology or traditional ink. That is a question about the document, not the tool. If you are unsure, ask whoever sent it.