How to sign a PDF without Adobe
You do not need Adobe Acrobat to sign a PDF. Open the file in a tool that lets you draw a signature, place it on the signature line, add the date, then save a flattened copy. Your computer may already have one, and FormFill does it in any modern browser without the PDF ever leaving your computer.
What your computer can already do
Before installing anything, check what you already have. Each of these places a drawn signature on a PDF for free:
| Computer | Built-in option | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Mac | Preview: open the PDF, show the Markup toolbar, choose Sign | Capture a signature with the trackpad or the camera; saved in Preview for next time |
| Windows | Microsoft Edge's PDF viewer: Draw and Add text | Drawing with a mouse is hard; a touchscreen or pen helps |
| Chromebook | The Gallery app or the PDF viewer's annotate mode, where your ChromeOS version has it | Freehand ink only; no date or check mark tools |
| Any computer | A browser tool such as FormFill | Text, check marks, date, signature and initials in one place |
The built-in tools are fine for one signature. They get awkward when a form also wants typed answers, ticked boxes and a date in the right boxes, which is most forms.
Sign a PDF in your browser with FormFill
- Open the web app. Go to formfill.adelyons.com/app in Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox. Nothing to install.
- Open your PDF. Pick the file from your computer. It is read by the browser on your computer; it is not uploaded to a server.
- Fill anything else first. Add text for names and addresses, a check mark or an X for boxes, and the date. Drag a box to move it and pull a corner to resize it. Every page of the document can be filled.
- Draw your signature. Draw it with your mouse, trackpad, pen or finger, then place it on the signature line. Add initials the same way wherever a page asks for them.
- Download the signed PDF. FormFill flattens everything into the page and gives you a normal PDF to email, upload or print. Open it once to check before you send it.
Your first finished document is free. After that, FormFill Pro unlocks more, and it is the same Pro as the FormFill phone app: sign in with Google and it works in both places.
Drawing a signature with a mouse or trackpad
A mouse makes most signatures look shaky. A few habits help:
- Draw large, across most of the pad. A big signature scaled down looks far cleaner than a small one.
- Use one smooth motion and accept a slightly simplified version of your usual signature.
- On a laptop, a trackpad drag often works better than a mouse; on a touchscreen, use your finger or a stylus.
- Redo it until it looks like you. It costs nothing to try again.
Why the PDF should not leave your computer
Many free "sign PDF online" sites work by uploading your file to their server, signing it there and sending it back. For a lease, a tax form or a medical form, that means your name, address, signature and often an ID number sit on someone else's computer.
FormFill's web app does the work inside your browser instead: the document is opened, filled, signed and flattened on your own machine, and the finished PDF is saved straight to your downloads.
Drawn signature or digital signature?
What most forms mean by "sign here" is a drawn signature: an image of your handwriting on the line. A few processes ask for a certificate-based digital signature instead, which is a different thing that a drawn signature cannot replace; they will say so. FormFill places drawn signatures.
Whether a signature is legally binding depends on the document, the parties and the laws where you are. This guide is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Can I sign a PDF without Adobe for free?
Yes. Mac Preview and the PDF viewer in Microsoft Edge can place a drawn signature, and FormFill's web app lets you fill and sign your first finished document free in any modern browser.
Do I have to upload my PDF to sign it online?
Not with FormFill. The web app opens, fills, signs and flattens the PDF inside your browser, so the file never leaves your computer.
Does FormFill work on a Chromebook, Windows and Mac?
Yes. It runs in Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox, so it works on a Chromebook, a Windows PC, a Mac or Linux.
Can I add a digital certificate signature?
No. FormFill places a drawn signature image, which is what most forms mean by sign here. If a process requires a certificate-based digital signature, it will tell you, and you need a tool that issues one.
FormFill: fill and sign in your browser
Open a PDF, add text, check marks, the date, your signature and initials anywhere on any page, then download a flattened PDF. Everything happens in your browser; the PDF never leaves your computer. More about the web edition.
On your phone? FormFill is also an app for iPhone and Android, with the same FormFill Pro.
More guides: Work & create · all Adelyons guides