Signing a PDF without uploading the file

A contract arrives as a PDF — and needs to go back signed

You receive a contract as a PDF and need to send it back signed. The classic route — print, sign, scan — is cumbersome, especially without a printer nearby. Many online services offer a solution, but require you to upload your document to them first. With Sign PDF, it happens directly in the browser, without the file ever leaving your device.

How it works: three ways to sign

You have three ways to capture your signature: draw it directly with a mouse or your finger, upload an existing image of your signature, or simply type your name. Then you choose the target page and drag a frame on the page preview to where the signature should appear — the finished PDF is ready to download immediately.

You can verify for yourself that nothing gets uploaded: open your browser's developer tools Network tab, go through the process, see no upload request. This behavior is additionally backed by an automated test that checks exactly this on every change to the tool — not just a one-time claim.

What this signature legally is — and isn't

This is the most important point, and we don't want to hide it: Sign PDF inserts a visible signature — a graphic in the document, not a cryptographic or qualified electronic signature under eIDAS. It's common and sufficient for most everyday documents. For cases with high legal-certainty requirements — notarial matters, or contracts where written form is legally mandatory — it isn't enough; those need a qualified signature service. This boundary isn't fine print, it's a deliberate design choice: a true qualified electronic signature would require a private key in the browser, which conflicts with the local-processing principle and would falsely suggest more legal certainty than a pure browser solution can actually provide.