When you need to sign a document to be sent via email or digitally, what you usually do is print it, sign it and then re-digitize it using a scanner. This process is always very cumbersome, taking a long time between one signature and another. Today there is a much faster way to sign documents, using some very effective, easy to use and absolutely secure programs and apps.
We can put these types of signatures even if the document is a non-editable and non-fillable PDF, adding the signature in the text boxes.
We discover in this guide all the programs and apps to be used to sign PDFs and important documents, avoiding to print and scan the sheets.
This electronic signature has legal value as if we had actually signed on the document, but to be certified you need to have a certified digital identity (SPID).
Apps and websites for signing documents
The following websites and web applications can be used, free of charge, both from PC and from Smartphone1) HelloSign that works as a website or app for iOS and Android, excellent for scanning documents with the camera or importing a file, which you can later edit, fill in its fields, add a signature and export them as PDF. Signatures issued through HelloSign are legally valid. The app integrates with Google Drive, Google Docs, G Suite, Dropbox, Box, a series of CRM and other apps. Your free plan is limited to 3 documents per month.
2) DottedSign, web app for iPhone and Android, allows you to sign documents even by working them in collaboration with other people. You can track the status of documents and once ready they will be available for download in PDF. The whole process is protected by an encryption system. The free plan limited to three documents per month.
3) SignRequest is another solution for signing documents online. This service is entirely based on the Web and offers the opportunity to work collaboratively. You can create templates, custom accounts, work with other users and send documents in bulk. Integrates with apps from Google, Slack, Salesforce and other alternatives. The free plan is limited to 10 documents per month. We talked about this online service in the article on the online digital signature for documents and contracts written by hand on PC and mobile phones.
4) DocHub is a web tool for signing and editing PDF documents. It integrates with Gmail, Google Drive and Dropbox and also allows you to generate a link from the application to share each document easily. The free plan allows you to have a limit of 5 documents per month and 2000 documents per account.
5) SignOnDoc is another service for signing PDFs and documents online, with a free plan of 6 documents per day.
Sign documents on Windows PC
Adobe Reader allows you to sign every PDF in a really simple way.
We open the famous Adobe program, then click at the top on the Tools tab; among these we will have to click on the Fill and Sign tool.
In the editor we click Select a file to load the document to be signed, we search for the text box, click on it and select Signature to create the personal signature.
At this point we can write in italics freehand using the mouse (very difficult), using the finger on the trackpad of the laptop (more precise but still difficult) or you can choose to upload the signature as an image (much more comfortable).
In case we want to use the signature image let's get a sheet of paper, sign it, frame it with the computer webcam or with the cell phone camera and take a photo of the signature.
The image can be uploaded to the PC and stored in Adobe Reader DC.
This way you can't go wrong and you don't have to write the signature using the mouse, which is difficult and very inaccurate.
The signature only needs to be photographed once and is then saved on the computer without the need to use Adobe's cloud services.
To sign Word documents (.doc and .docx) simply use the homonymous program included in the Microsoft Office suite (for a fee) or, alternatively, use the free office suite LibreOffice.
Sign documents on Mac
On a Mac there is no need to install Acrobat DC (however available here ), just use the Preview application already included in the system.
We open the document to be signed with Preview, click in the field to be filled and write our signature on the trackpad using your finger, precisely; the signature preview will be visible on the screen.
Even with the Preview app you can use the webcam to photograph our signature written on paper and make it usable for digital documents and PDFs.
To sign Word documents we can use the same tools seen on Windows, that is Microsoft Office for Mac (for a fee) or LibreOffice for Mac (free).
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Sign documents on Android smartphones and tablets
If we want to sign on the move with our Android smartphone, there are several apps dedicated to the purpose and able to manage any type of document and PDF.
Among these you can use the same Adobe Acrobat DC that we have already seen for Windows PC.
The signature requires you to install an additional plugin called Adobe Fill And Sign DC which allows you to create the signature and sign all the PDF documents opened with Acrobat.
Creating a signature is easy and only needs to be done once by touching the screen where you want to sign and creating your own signature.
Since signing with your finger on a mobile phone can be difficult, it would be appropriate to remedy a nib, such as the one included in the Samsung Note (definitely the ideal smartphones for affixing electronic signatures).
To sign Word documents we can use the app of the same name for Android, provided for free (just having a Microsoft account) -> Microsoft Word for Android .
Other apps that we can try to sign PDF but also Office documents are: DocuSign, Foxit Mobile PDF, Xodo PDF and SignEasy.
Sign documents on iPhone and iPad
From iOS 12 it is possible to sign the documents received through the Mail app, so you don't even have to install an additional app.
To apply the signature, click on Mail, open the e-mail message with the attachment that may be included; once the attachment is displayed, tap on the Edit button. We now touch the icon with the plus sign to add a signature, text or other.
We can also upload a PDF into a new email ( Add attachment button) and, once loaded from the app, press the Edit button to apply the signature.
The alternative is to use Adobe Acrobat DC again, an app that works very well as already seen for PC and Android.
Just long press somewhere in a PDF document and then select the signature tool to enter the writing editor.
As for PC and Android, it is not necessary to register an account with Adobe and there is nothing to pay.
It can be used in conjunction with Adobe Fill and Sign, the app to sign and fill PDF documents without having to print them, directly from iPhone or iPad.
There are many other iOS apps to apply signatures to documents, but most are paid, so we decided to ignore them: if we can get the electronic signature with integrated systems or with Adobe, it is not worth considering an app for a fee!
We can also sign Word documents on iPhone and iPad using the app of the same name, provided free of charge by Microsoft (just having an account) -> Microsoft Word for iOS .
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