How to sign a PDF on your phone (iPhone or Android)

4 min read · Updated November 2, 2026

Someone emailed you a form and needs it back signed today. You don’t need a printer, a scanner or an app. Here’s how to do it on your phone in about a minute.

What you need

• The PDF, saved to your phone (in Files on iPhone, or Downloads on Android).
• A browser: Safari, Chrome, Samsung Internet or Firefox all work.
• About a minute.

Step 1: Save the PDF to your phone

In your email app, tap the attachment. On iPhone, tap the share button and choose Save to Files. On Android, tap the download icon; the file lands in your Downloads folder.

Step 2: Open it in the signing tool

Go to the Sign PDF page and tap Choose a file. Pick the PDF from Files or Downloads. It opens right on the page, and nothing is uploaded.

Step 3: Draw your signature

The signature pad opens automatically. Turn your phone sideways if you want more room, and sign with your finger the way you would on paper. Slow, steady strokes look best. Pick black or blue ink, tap Clear to try again, and tap Add to page when you’re happy.

Step 4: Place it on the line

Scroll to the signature line, drag your signature onto it, and pull the blue corner dot to make it the right size. If the form needs your initials on other pages, add your signature again on each page.

Step 5: Add the date and save

Tap Add text, tap next to the date line and type the date. Then tap Save PDF. On iPhone you can save to Files or share straight to Mail; on Android it goes to Downloads. Attach the signed copy to your reply and you’re done.

Is a signature drawn on a phone legally valid?

In the United States, the federal ESIGN Act and the state versions of the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act generally give electronic signatures the same weight as ink, as long as you meant to sign. That covers most leases, permission slips, job paperwork and everyday agreements.

There are exceptions. Wills, some family-law and court documents, and certain official notices still need a traditional signature, and any organization can set its own rules. A drawn signature also doesn’t prove who signed the way a dedicated e-signature service with identity checks and an audit trail does. For a mortgage or a large contract, the other side may ask for one of those instead.

Troubleshooting

• The page scrolls when I try to draw. Draw inside the white signature box. On the page itself, switch to Select to scroll.
• My signature looks jagged. Sign a little larger and slower; it’s scaled down when placed.
• I can’t find the saved file. On iPhone, check Files, then On My iPhone, then Downloads. On Android, open the Files app and look in Downloads.