Guide

How to sign a PDF without printing or scanning

The ritual is familiar: print the PDF, sign it with a pen, photograph or scan it, email it back — and it arrives crooked, gray, and three times the file size. Here is the one-minute version, free, entirely in your browser.

  1. 1 Open the PDF in Chrome

    Open the document you received right in a Chrome tab — SignDrop finds PDFs in your open tabs automatically. Got it as a file? Upload it from the extension popup instead. If you don’t have the extension yet, add SignDrop to Chrome — it’s free, no account.

  2. 2 Create your signature

    Four ways, pick your favorite — it’s saved for every future document:

    • Draw it with your mouse or trackpad
    • Type it and pick a handwriting-style font
    • Upload a photo of your real signature
    • Phone — scan a QR code and draw with your finger; it appears on your desktop instantly. No app needed, and the temporary session self-deletes in 5 minutes.

  3. 3 Place it and download

    Drag the signature exactly where it belongs, drop in today’s date or any text the form needs, and download the signed PDF. It saves to your device and your local library — nothing is uploaded anywhere. Attach it to your reply and you’re done.

Is this legal? For everyday agreements — leases, offer letters, NDAs, school forms — electronic signatures are recognized under laws like the U.S. ESIGN Act and EU eIDAS. Wills and notarized documents are the usual exceptions.

Common questions

Is a digital signature on a PDF legally valid?

For most everyday agreements — leases, offer letters, NDAs, consent forms — yes. Laws like the U.S. ESIGN Act and the EU eIDAS regulation recognize electronic signatures. A few document types (wills, some notarized deeds) still require wet ink or a notary; check the requirements if your document is unusual.

Do I need to upload my document to a website?

Not with SignDrop. The PDF is opened and signed entirely inside your browser — it never touches a server. Most online “sign PDF free” tools upload your file first; that’s worth avoiding for anything sensitive.

What if my signature looks bad drawn with a mouse?

That’s the most common complaint about digital signing — and why SignDrop lets you scan a QR code and draw the signature with your finger on your phone instead. It lands on your desktop instantly and gets saved for reuse.

Never print-sign-scan again

Add SignDrop to Chrome — free

Free forever · No account · Your documents stay on your device