How to Sign a PDF for Free Using Online and Offline Methods

Signing PDF documents quickly and easily is essential for both personal and professional tasks including approving a proposal, signing a contrast, etc.

Numerous PDF signing tools are available to add electronic signatures to .pdf files; however, many of them require users to sign up or pay for a premium plan to access their features.

This page outlines how to sign a PDF for completely free, using a lightweight PDF editor and a free online PDF signer without any ads.

How to Sign PDF Offline without Adobe Acrobat

PDFgear is a free PDF signing app for doing electronic signatures on PDFs without signing up. It starts up immediately and saves PDFs without watermarks.

This offline app lets you easily electronically add signatures to PDFs without printing. Additionally, it enables you to sign all pages in a PDF at once on Windows. This freeware PDF editor works smoothly on filling in a PDF form on Windows.

This program works on Windows 10/11 and macOS devices, with intuitive interface, making it a great PDF signer to sign a PDF on Mac.

Step 1. Open the Offline PDF Signature App

Download PDFgear and then open the app. Click Open File to upload the PDF file you need to sign.

Step 2. Create a Signature in a PDF

Select the Edit tab from the top menu bar, then click the Signature icon.

PDFgear allows you to create your signature in 3 ways: upload your existing signature image, type signature on a keyboard, or use a handwritten signature.

Image Signature: Click the Add Picture button, and choose a signature image. Check the “Remove Background” button to remove all white pixels from the image.

Type Signature: Type your name and choose a font, click OK to successfully create the signature.

Handwritten Signature: Choose Write, select the text line thickness, and use the mouse to draw your signature. Then click OK.

Step 3. Place the Signature on Multiple Pages in the PDF

When you create a signature, your mouse will automatically capture it, allowing you to place it anywhere on the document and adjust its size as needed.

If you want to sign specific pages in the PDF, click on the signature, and three additional options will appear. Select Place on Multiple Page, choose the pages you need, and click OK to apply the same signature to those pages.

Additionally, you can flatten the signature to make it non-editable, or you can delete the signature if necessory.

Step 4. Save the Signed PDF

Once you set the signature in the PDF, click the Save button in the upper left corner to save the modified file. Or click the Save as button to save it as a new file.

How to Sign PDF Online without Signing Up

There are several online platforms that enable you to sign PDFs electronically without software download. While most of them require a user account or subscription.

PDFgear online PDF editor permits you to sign PDF online for free with no account registered. With a user-friendly interface, there are no ads in use, and no watermarks in the exported files.

Working on Linux, Windows, macOS, and mobile browsers, you can edit text in PDF files online for free on any device at any time.

Step 1. Open the Online Signing Tool

Go to the PDFgear online PDF editor using your preferred web browser on any device. Click on Upload PDF File to select the PDF file you want to sign.

Step 2. Add a Signature to a PDF Online Free

Click the Add or Edit Annotations icon from the upper right sidebar, choose the Pen icon to select ADD SIGNATURE.

Similar to signatures in PDFgear software, there are 3 types for your option. After you insert the signature into the PDF, you can drag and drop it or use alignment and resizing tools to adjust its appearance.

Step 3. Download to Save the Signed PDF File

Click on the Save or Download button to save the signed .pdf file to your computer.

Extra Tip: How to Create PDF Signature Stamps for Free

As a free PDF signer, PDFgear enables users to sign and stamp PDF online and offline, using the editing solutions provided. This method addresses the limitation found in some PDF editors, which often restrict users to retaining only one or two signatures.

You can use this feature to save and add multiple signatures to PDFs with great ease. Take the PDFgear software for example, we will roughly list the steps to create a signature stamp.

Step 1. Open PDFgear on your computer, navigate to Edit, choose Stamp, and select Custom Stamp.

Step 2. In the new stamp window, you can choose to add a text stamp or an image stamp. After you set the stamp, check the Save the custom stamp button to save the stamp, and click OK to save it.

FAQs

Can I place the same signature on multiple pages?

Yes, after creating your signature, you can right-click on it and select “Place on Multiple Pages” to apply it to all pages, odd pages, even pages, or a custom page range.

How do I flatten or lock my signature?

To flatten or lock your signature in place so it cannot be modified, right-click on the signature and select “Flatten”. This operation cannot be undone.

Can I sign PDFs online with PDFgear?

Yes, PDFgear provides an online editor that allows you to upload, sign, and download PDF files without installing any software. Just go to the PDFgear website, upload your PDF, add your signature, and download the signed file.

Is PDFgear free to use?

Yes, PDFgear is completely free to use for signing PDFs and performing other PDF editing tasks, with no watermarks or restrictions on the downloaded files.

Can I save my signature in PDFgear for future use?

Yes, when creating a new signature, there is an option to “Save Signature” which will store it in PDFgear’s signature library for easy access later.

Conclusion

If you’re seeking a straightforward solution for signing or filling in your PDF documents, PDF signers are undoubtedly the preferred option.

For individuals who frequently travel and cannot ensure a stable internet connection, PDFgear  software allows you to sign your PDF documents on both Mac and Windows computers.

Additionally, if you find yourself with only a phone at hand, you can use PDFgear online editor or download PDFgear for iOS to meet your needs.