You've got a contract to sign. You could print it, sign it with a pen, scan it, and email it back — or place a signature onto the PDF directly on your computer. Before doing that for anything that matters, it's worth knowing exactly what kind of "signature" you're creating, because the term covers several genuinely different things with different levels of legal weight.
Not all PDF signatures are the same thing
- Drawn signature: You draw your signature with a mouse, trackpad, or finger, and it's placed as an image on the page.
- Typed signature: You type your name and it's rendered in a handwriting-style font, then placed on the page.
- Uploaded signature image: A photo or scan of your actual physical signature, placed on the page as an image.
- Certificate-based digital signature: A cryptographic signature tied to a verified digital certificate, which mathematically binds the signature to the exact document and can detect if the file is altered afterward. This is a different technology entirely from the three above.
The first three are all, technically, "electronic signatures" — a mark applied with the intent to sign. None of them cryptographically verify who actually signed or whether the document was altered afterward. A certificate-based digital signature does both of those things, which is why it carries more weight for high-stakes documents.
What PDFly's Sign PDF tool creates
PDFly's Sign PDF tool places a drawn, typed, or uploaded signature image onto the page — it's a visual signature, not a certificate-based digital signature with cryptographic verification. It doesn't verify your identity; it simply places whatever signature you provide onto the document, positioned wherever you click.
How to sign a PDF
- Open PDFly's Sign PDF tool.
- Upload your PDF.
- Create your signature by drawing, typing, or uploading.
- Click on the page where you want to place your signature.
- Download your signed PDF, and keep a copy for your own records.
Is a signature made this way legally valid?
It depends — on your jurisdiction, the type of document, and what the other party or a governing authority requires, and that's not something this article or PDFly can determine for you. This isn't legal advice, but here's the general shape of it: many places have laws recognizing electronic signatures as generally valid for most everyday agreements, provided there's clear intent to sign. But some categories of documents — certain contracts, court filings, notarized paperwork, government forms — have specific requirements that a simple drawn or typed signature may not satisfy, and some counterparties specifically require a certificate-based digital signature with an audit trail from a dedicated e-signature service.
The practical takeaway: for routine internal approvals, low-stakes forms, and everyday agreements, a drawn or typed signature is often perfectly fine. For anything with real legal or financial weight, or where the other party has specific requirements, confirm what's actually required before you rely on a visual signature — with the counterparty, or with a lawyer if it matters enough to ask one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a drawn or typed signature legally valid?
It depends on your jurisdiction and the type of document — PDFly provides an electronic signing tool but doesn't certify legal compliance. For routine documents it's often fine; for high-stakes or regulated documents, confirm what's required first.
Is this the same as a certificate-based digital signature?
No. PDFly's tool places a visual signature image on the page. A certificate-based digital signature is a separate cryptographic technology that verifies signer identity and detects if the document was altered afterward.
Can I sign a PDF on my phone?
Yes — browser-based tools work on any device with a browser.
Can I save my signature for future use?
Some tools let you save a signature. Otherwise, you can recreate it each time.