01
Open your PDF
Choose it from Mail or Files.
What did they give you?
| You have | Do this | Printer needed? |
|---|---|---|
| A PDF in email or Files | Sign it on your iPhone and send it back | No |
| A paper copy only | Scan it with your phone's camera, sign the scan, send it as a PDF | No |
| A link to a website form | Fill it in on the website; it usually has its own signature box | No |
| A note saying "wet signature" or "ink only" | Print at a library or print shop, sign in pen, scan with your phone | Yes, once |
| A notary requirement | You'll need to sign in front of a notary (some states allow online notaries) | Depends |
Only have paper? The camera finds the page edges and turns it into a PDF you can sign.
Open your PDF. Add your signature. Send it back.Only have the paper? Turn it into a PDF first
1
Scan it with your phone
In eSign PDF, choose scan and hold your iPhone over the page. Use a dark table and good light so the app can find the edges.
2
Sign the scan
Add your signature and the date on the scanned page, the same as any PDF.
3
Send it
Export and email it back. You've skipped the printer and the scanner.
If it came as a PDF
That's the easy case. Open it, sign it, send it back. The steps for an email attachment are in sign a PDF from an email and send it back. Not sure the office will accept it? Read do I have to print, sign and scan?.
Apple's free Markup can sign a simple PDF too. It can't scan paper, and some offices on Windows won't see a Markup signature. More on that in sign a PDF without printing.
PDF or paper
Sign it without a printer
Scan paper with your camera or open the PDF, sign, and send it back as a clean PDF.
Sign without a printerFirst export free, then $59.99 once (US). No account.
FAQ
Can I sign paperwork without a printer?+
Yes, in most cases. If it's a PDF, sign it on your phone. If it's paper, scan it with your phone first.
Can I just take a photo of the page?+
A scan is better. It straightens the page and makes it a PDF, so it looks clean and is easy to read.
What does "wet signature" mean?+
Ink on paper. If the form or sender asks for one, a signature on your phone won't do. Print it once, sign in pen, then scan it.