1. The quickest way — sign a PDF in your browser
No app, no account, nothing uploaded:
- Open the Sign PDF tool.
- Drop in your PDF.
- Create your signature — draw, type or upload it.
- Drag it onto the signature line, resize to fit, and click Apply.
- Download your signed PDF.
With PDFNest the document and your signature stay on your device — nothing is sent to a server, which matters for contracts and agreements.
Sign your PDF nowFree, in your browser — draw, type or upload a signature. No upload, no watermark.
Open Sign PDF →2. Three ways to make your signature
- Draw it with your mouse, trackpad or finger — the most natural option on a phone or tablet touchscreen.
- Type it — enter your name and pick a handwriting style for a neat, instant signature.
- Upload it — snap a photo of your real pen signature on white paper, or use a saved image. A transparent PNG looks cleanest.
3. Placing it on the right spot
Once your signature appears on the page, drag it onto the signature line and use the corner handle to resize it so it fits neatly. Need to sign in more than one place, or add your initials on several pages? Drop the signature as many times as you need, then apply them all at once. Want to add a date or fill in text fields too? Use Edit PDF alongside it.
4. Is an electronic signature legally valid?
An image of your signature placed on a PDF is an electronic signature, and for the vast majority of everyday agreements — NDAs, rental forms, permission slips, internal sign-offs — it's widely accepted. What it is not is a certificate-based digital signature (the kind that cryptographically proves identity and tamper-evidence). If a document specifically requires that, use a dedicated e-signature provider. For everything else, a clean electronic signature does the job.
5. Keeping the signed file secure
After signing, you may want to stop the file being edited or restrict who can open it. Protect PDF adds a password so only the right people can open it. And because the whole process runs locally, your signature image and the document were never exposed to a third-party server in the first place.
Need to edit or protect the PDF too?PDFNest has 32 free tools that all run in your browser.
Explore PDFNest →Frequently asked questions
How do I sign a PDF for free?
Open a free Sign PDF tool, add your document, then draw, type or upload your signature. Drag it onto the line, resize, and download. With PDFNest it happens in your browser — nothing uploaded, no watermark.
Do I need to print and scan?
No — add a digital signature directly. Draw it, type your name, or upload a photo of your signature. No printer or scanner needed.
Is an electronic signature legally valid?
For most everyday agreements, yes. For documents that legally require a certificate-based digital signature, use a dedicated e-signature provider.
Is it safe to sign a confidential PDF?
With PDFNest, yes — the PDF and signature are processed entirely in your browser and never uploaded.