How to sign a PDF on iPhone

Two ways to sign a PDF on iPhone

Both are free and need no app from the App Store. Markup is built into iOS. The browser tool works the same on iPhone, iPad and Android.

Sign a PDF in Safari with the free tool

1. 1Open this page in Safari. Chrome and Firefox on iPhone work the same.
2. 2Tap «Choose file». Pick the PDF from Files, iCloud Drive or a download.
3. 3Tap «Draw my signature». Sign with your finger on the canvas and tap «Done».
4. 4Tap the page where the signature goes. Drag to move it and pull the corner to resize it.
5. 5Add the date with the date button if the form asks for it.
6. 6Tap the brown bar at the bottom that says «Download signed PDF».

Safari saves the file in Downloads inside the Files app. From there you can share it by WhatsApp, Mail or AirDrop.

Your drawn signature stays saved on the phone. Next time it is ready with one tap.

Sign a PDF with Markup in the Files app

1. 1Open the Files app and find the PDF.
2. 2Tap the file to open it, then tap the Markup button, the pen tip in a circle.
3. 3Tap the plus sign at the bottom and choose Add Signature.
4. 4Draw your signature with your finger and tap Done.
5. 5Drag the signature to the line and pinch to resize it.
6. 6Tap Done to save the changes into the same file.

Markup saves over the original. Duplicate the file first if you want to keep a clean copy.

Sign a PDF that arrived by email

1. 1Open the email in the Mail app and tap the PDF attachment.
2. 2Tap the Markup button at the top or bottom of the preview.
3. 3Tap the plus sign, choose Add Signature and place it on the page.
4. 4Tap Done and choose Reply All. Mail attaches the signed copy to a reply.

Attachments from Gmail or Outlook apps open in their own viewer. Save them to Files first and sign them there or in Safari.

Sign a PDF that arrived by WhatsApp

Open the chat and tap the PDF. Tap the share icon and choose Save to Files.

Then open this page in Safari, choose the saved file and sign it. Share the signed PDF back into the same chat.

What the certificate page adds

Markup draws the signature and stops there. Nothing in the file records when or on which version you signed.

The free tool adds a last page when «Add signature certificate» is checked. It carries these details.

• The name of the signer and an optional email
• The date and time from the phone
• The file name and its number of pages
• The SHA-256 fingerprint of the original PDF

Anyone can confirm later that the original did not change. They drop both files into the signature checker.

Tips for a clean signature on a small screen

• Turn the phone sideways before you draw. The canvas gets wider and the line smoother.
• Sign with your fingertip, not the pad of your finger. The stroke gets thinner and sharper.
• Zoom into the page with two fingers before you place it. Small lines are easier to hit.
• Redo it if it looks shaky. Clear the canvas and sign again until it matches your ID.

Sign on iPad with Apple Pencil

The steps on iPad are the same as on iPhone. The bigger screen and the pencil give a signature closer to ink.

1. 1Open this page in Safari on the iPad and choose the PDF.
2. 2Tap «Draw my signature» and sign with Apple Pencil on the canvas.
3. 3Place it on the page and resize it with the corner.
4. 4Download the signed PDF from the button under the page.

Markup on iPad also takes Apple Pencil. Touch the pencil to the page and the Markup tools open on their own.

Fill in the form before you sign

Many PDFs ask for a name, an address or a date before the signature. Fill those first so the signature closes a complete page.

• In the browser tool, tap «Text», tap the blank and type. The fill PDF form tool opens in that mode.
• In Markup, tap the plus sign and choose Text. Drag the box to the blank and type.
• For the date, use the date button in the browser tool. It writes the date of the phone in one tap.

Keep the original and the signed copy

Save both files in the same folder in Files. Name them so they pair up, such as lease.pdf and lease-signed.pdf.

The original is what proves the signed copy is genuine. Without it nobody can run the fingerprint check later.

iCloud Drive keeps both files on your other Apple devices. Open them on a Mac and they are still the same files.

Send the signed PDF back

Open the Files app, press and hold the signed PDF and tap Share. Pick WhatsApp, Mail or Messages.

Send the original too when the other party may want to check it. The two files together let anyone run the fingerprint check.

Write a short note with the file. Say what you signed and on which date, so the reply is easy to file.

Before you tap download

• Read the whole PDF once on the phone, page by page.
• Check that the signature sits on the right line and the right page.
• Add the date next to the signature when the form has a date blank.
• Add your initials on pages that change prices, dates or amounts.
• Leave «Add signature certificate» checked for contracts and agreements.

Common problems and fixes

• The Markup button is missing. The file opened in a viewer of another app. Save it to Files and open it there.
• The signature saved on the wrong page. Undo in Markup or delete it in the browser tool and place it again.
• The download did not appear. Check the Downloads folder in Files, or the arrow icon in the Safari address bar.
• The PDF is a photo. Choose the JPG or PNG in the browser tool. It turns the photo into a PDF page.
• The file is protected with a password. Open it with the password first and save an unlocked copy.

Is a PDF signed on iPhone legally valid?

Yes, in most cases. The ESIGN Act gives an electronic signature the same effect as ink in interstate and foreign commerce.

The device does not matter. A signature drawn on a phone counts the same as one drawn on a laptop.

Wills, family law matters and court papers follow other rules. Our guide to wet signatures lists the exceptions.

When someone else has to sign

Send the PDF from a free SignSolú account. The other person gets a link by WhatsApp or email. They open it on their phone and tap the brown bar that says «Sign as …». You get the signed PDF back with a certificate that SignSolú timestamps. Your first ten documents are free.

Sign a PDF on Android

Open this page in Chrome on the Android phone. Tap «Choose file» and pick the PDF from Downloads or Drive.

Draw your signature, place it and tap the brown bar at the bottom. The signed PDF lands in Downloads.

The steps match the iPhone ones in the browser. Markup is the only part that exists on Apple devices alone.

Sources

• iPhone User Guide, Markup and Mail attachments on support.apple.com
• 15 U.S.C. 7001, general rule of validity on govinfo.gov
• 15 U.S.C. 7003, specific exceptions on govinfo.gov