English
How to make a signature online
A signature maker turns your handwriting, or just your typed name, into a transparent PNG that you can drop into a Word file, an email footer or a PDF. You do not need to sign on paper and scan it. Pick one of three ways to create it, check the preview and download.
- Choose Draw, Type or Upload. The page opens with a sample signature so you can see what the result looks like before you change anything.
- Pick an ink color. Black or dark blue look the most natural on contracts; avoid bright colors for anything formal.
- Choose a width and press Download PNG, or press Sign a PDF with it to use it straight away on a document.
The signature is trimmed to the ink, so there is no wasted white margin around it when you place it on a signature line.
Draw, type or upload: which looks best?
It depends on what you have in your hand. Drawing with a mouse gives the shakiest lines; a finger or stylus on a phone or tablet looks far closer to a real signature.
| Method | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Draw | Anything that should look like your real hand. Best on a touch screen. | Mouse strokes look stiff. Use Undo and redraw until it feels right. |
| Type | Quick, neat results when you only need your name on a form. | Looks the same as anyone else using that font, so it reads as less personal. |
| Upload | Keeping your real pen signature without redrawing it. | Shadows and creased paper. Use plain white paper and even light. |
How do I sign a PDF without printing it?
Open the Sign a PDF tab and choose your file. Each page shows as it will print. Press Place on this page, drag the signature onto the line and pull the round handle in the corner to resize it. A 6-page contract that needs a signature on the last page and an initial on every other page takes about a minute this way.
- Place on last page jumps to the final page, which is where most agreements are signed.
- Place on all pages adds one copy per page, useful for initials. Shrink one copy and use Copy to all pages to repeat its exact position.
- Press Place on this page twice to put two signatures on one page, for two signers or for a signature plus an initial.
The signature is added on top of the page as an image. Existing text is not changed, and rotated pages (a landscape scan stored sideways, for example) are handled so the signature still lands upright where you put it.
What size should the signature image be?
The PNG is only ever as sharp as its pixel width. These sizes assume printing at 300 dpi, the usual standard for sharp output.
| Width | Printed size | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 400 px | 1.3 in (3.4 cm) | Email footers, web forms |
| 600 px | 2 in (5.1 cm) | Short documents, small boxes |
| 800 px | 2.7 in (6.8 cm) | Contracts and letters (default) |
| 1200 px | 4 in (10.2 cm) | Large signature blocks, zooming in |
| 1600 px | 5.3 in (13.5 cm) | Posters, anything printed big |
Bigger is not always better. A 1600 px signature stretched across a normal signature line is just a larger file with no visible gain.
How do I turn a photo of my signature into a PNG?
Sign with a dark pen on plain white paper and take the photo straight from above, with the light coming from the side so your hand does not cast a shadow. On the Upload tab, leave Make the background transparent ticked. If a grey haze of paper shows around the ink, raise the removal slider a little. If thin strokes start breaking up, lower it.
A photo of a signature on lined or colored paper will not clean up well, because the lines are dark enough to be treated as ink.
Will an image of my signature be accepted?
That is up to whoever receives the document. In many countries a pasted image of your signature is accepted for everyday agreements such as a rental application, a school form or an internal approval. It is also the simplest kind of electronic signature, with no record of who applied it. Wills, property transfers and anything a notary or court handles usually need a handwritten or certified signature instead. If the document matters, ask first.
Your signature is a personal item. Only add it to documents you trust, and keep the PNG out of shared folders.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a signature with a transparent background?
Draw or type it here and press Download PNG. The file has no white box behind the ink, so it sits cleanly on top of any document. If you start from a photo, tick Make the background transparent and the paper is removed for you.
How do I sign a PDF without printing it?
Open the Sign a PDF tab, load the file, and press Place on this page. Drag the signature onto the line, resize it with the round handle and press Download signed PDF. That replaces print, sign and scan, which takes a good ten minutes for a 6-page contract.
Is a drawn or typed signature legally valid?
In many countries a plain image signature is accepted for everyday agreements, but it is the weakest kind of electronic signature, and some documents (wills, property transfers, anything a notary handles) need a handwritten or certified one. Ask the person or office receiving the document what they accept before you rely on it.
Can I turn a photo of my signature into a PNG?
Yes. Sign with a dark pen on plain white paper, photograph it in even light, and upload it on the Upload tab. The tool removes the paper color, recolors the ink and trims the empty space. A shadow across the page is the usual problem, so move the lamp rather than the slider first.
Is my signature uploaded anywhere?
No. Drawing, typing, background removal and PDF signing all run in your browser, and the only thing downloaded is the PDF engine when you open the PDF tab. Close the tab and nothing of yours is kept.
What size should a signature image be?
800 px wide is a good default: at 300 dpi that prints about 6.8 cm (2.7 in) across, plenty for a signature line. Pick 400 px for a small email footer and 1200 px if the file will be printed large or zoomed in.
Can I sign every page of a PDF, or place the signature twice on one page?
Yes to both. Place on all pages adds one signature per page, and Place on this page can be pressed again for a second copy, for example an initial in the margin. Each one can be moved and resized on its own.
Why does the typed signature look different on my phone and my laptop?
The five handwriting styles are web fonts that load with the page, so they look the same on phones, Macs and Windows PCs. If your connection blocks them, the browser falls back to a built-in script font. What you see in the preview is exactly what gets saved.