How to sign PDF on Mac

what to know

• Easiest: Preview > Show Markup Toolbar > Signature > Click here to start > Draw your signature on the trackpad.
• Or: Sign > Camera > Sign the paper and hold it close to the camera > Done > Sign > Select and place it.
• You can also sign using your iPhone instead of your Mac's trackpad.

This article explains three ways to sign PDFs on Mac: sign with your finger on a trackpad or iPhone, or use your Mac camera to scan a signature image and save it for future use.

The Preview app is a powerful macOS tool that can be used to edit many different types of documents. It's also great for signing PDFs. Here's how to enter your signature using your trackpad.

You can also use popular signing services such as DocuSign or Adobe Acrobat Reader DC, but most Mac users prefer the tools provided by Apple.

1. Open the PDF file in preview.

   Macs open PDF files in Preview by default, so you should be able to double-click the file. Alternatively, right-click the file and click Open with > Preview .

2. Click to display the marking toolbar .

   

3. Click Sign .

   

4. Click "Click here to get started."

   

5. Use your laptop's trackpad to draw your signature and press any key when you're done.

   Any movement becomes part of your signature, so try to keep your gestures natural, slow, and steady. Additionally, if your Mac has a Force Touch trackpad, you can press your finger harder on the trackpad to use thicker, darker lines for your signature.

6. Click Finish .

   

7. Click the signature you created from the Signature menu and drag it to the desired location in the document.

   

8. Click away from the signature to place it where you want it.

   Changed your mind? Click the signature again and drag it to another location.

Another option is to use an iPhone instead of your Mac's built-in trackpad.

1. Double-click the PDF to open it in preview.

   Alternatively, right-click the file and select Open with > Preview .

2. Click to display the Markup toolbar .

   

3. Select the Signature icon in the menu bar.

   

4. Select the iPhone tab.

   

5. A prompt to enter your signature will appear on your iPhone; use your finger to sign your name.

   

6. On Mac, select Done to save the signature.

   

   If you want to try again, click Clear.

7. To use a signature, click the Signature menu icon, then select the signature you added from your iPhone and drag and drop it into the appropriate location.

   

Or, if you don't want to use a trackpad or iPhone to draw your signature, you can use your Mac's built-in camera to sign a PDF. This is a similar process to using a trackpad, but there are some key differences. That's it.

After completing this process, you can reuse the signature by selecting it from the Signature menu. If you use iCloud Drive, it will also save to all other Macs you have synced with your account.

1. Double-click or right-click and select Open with > Preview to open the PDF file in preview.

2. Click to display the marking toolbar .

3. Click Sign .

   

   If you've already created a signature via your trackpad, you'll need to click Create Signature .

4. Click camera .

   

5. Draw your signature on the paper and hold it close to the camera and the blue line.

   The image will appear upside down, but the preview will adjust it so that it reads correctly when fully scanned.

6. Keep the paper still for a few seconds until your Mac reads the paper correctly.

7. Once the image appears, click "Done" to save your signature.

   

8. Click the signature icon again and select Signature.

   Don't want to store your signatures on your Mac? Hover over the signature and click on the x when it appears.

   

9. Drag it to the desired location in the document.

10. Click away from the signature to place it in a fixed location.

Want to make more extensive edits to your PDF files beyond simply signing them? There are several ways to achieve this, as well as specialized applications for the process.