Signing a PDF used to mean printing the document, signing it by hand, scanning it back in, and hoping the scan did not come out wonky. Or it meant paying for Adobe Acrobat. Neither option is great when you just need to sign a lease, a contract, or a permission form and send it back in the next five minutes.
There is a better way. You can add a proper signature to any PDF directly in your browser — for free, on any device — without installing anything or creating an account.
How to sign a PDF online
Open Filero's free Sign PDF tool and follow these steps:
- Upload your PDF by dragging it onto the page or clicking to browse.
- Click anywhere on the document to open the signature panel.
- Draw your signature with your mouse or finger, type your name and select a style, or upload an image of your existing signature.
- Drag the signature to exactly where it needs to go.
- Resize it if needed, then click Download to save the signed PDF.
The whole thing takes under a minute. On a phone you can draw directly with your finger, which produces a more natural-looking result than typing your name.
Three ways to create your signature
Different situations call for different approaches, so the tool gives you three options:
- Draw — use your mouse on desktop, or your finger on a touchscreen. This produces the most natural-looking signature and is what most people prefer for formal documents. If your first attempt looks shaky, just clear it and draw again — it takes a few tries to get used to signing with a mouse.
- Type — enter your name and pick a handwriting-style font. Quick and clean. It looks less like a handwritten signature but works perfectly for most everyday purposes like internal approvals, acknowledgement forms, and general correspondence.
- Upload an image — if you already have a clean scan or photo of your signature saved, you can upload that directly. A signature photographed against a white background on your phone works well. The tool places it on the document as a transparent overlay.
Is a digital signature legally valid?
For the vast majority of everyday documents — tenancy agreements, freelance contracts, consent forms, job offer letters, and general business correspondence — yes. In Australia, the UK, the US, and most other countries, an electronic signature carries the same legal weight as a handwritten one under electronic transactions legislation, as long as both parties have consented to sign electronically.
The exceptions are specific high-stakes legal documents that require a witnessed handwritten signature by law — things like wills, deeds, and certain court documents. For those, check with a solicitor. But for the kinds of documents most people need to sign on a given day, an e-signature is completely valid and widely accepted.
Signing on iPhone and Android
Filero's Sign PDF tool works in mobile browsers without any app download. Open it in Safari on iPhone or Chrome on Android, upload the PDF, and draw your signature with your finger. The tool handles touch input the same way a drawing app does — you can tap to place the signature field and drag it around the page to position it.
If you receive a PDF by email and need to sign it on your phone, download the attachment, then open Filero in your browser, upload the file, sign it, and share the signed version directly from your downloads folder. Takes about two minutes start to finish.
Adding multiple signatures or initials
Some contracts require you to sign on multiple pages, or add initials in several places in addition to a full signature. You can add multiple signature elements to a single PDF — just click the spot where the next one needs to go, create the signature, position it, and repeat. All changes are applied at once when you click Download.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sign a PDF on my phone without an app?
Yes. Open Filero in any mobile browser, upload the document, and draw your signature with your finger. No app installation required.
What if the PDF already has a signature field?
The Sign PDF tool lets you place your signature anywhere on the page, including directly over an existing signature box. If you want to fill in a form with signature fields, the Edit PDF tool also allows you to fill text fields before adding your signature.
Is my document stored after I sign it?
No. Signing happens in your browser — the document is processed locally and the signed PDF is downloaded directly to your device. Nothing is retained on Filero's servers.
Can I save my signature to reuse it?
The tool does not store signatures between sessions. If you sign documents regularly, the quickest approach is to take a clean photo of your handwritten signature, save it to your phone or desktop as a PNG, and upload it using the image upload option each time. That way you always get a consistent result without having to redraw.
Ready to try it?
Use Filero's free Sign PDF tool. No account needed, works on any device.
Open Sign PDF