Two kinds of PDF form
Fillable forms have boxes you can click into. They were made as forms, and most PDF viewers can fill them.
Flat forms are scans, or documents printed to PDF. They look like a form but there's nothing to click, so many viewers can't fill them at all. Fill & Sign PDF handles both: it fills the real boxes, and on a flat form it lets you type anywhere. There's more on that in how to type on a PDF that isn't fillable.
Step by step
- Open Fill & Sign PDF in your browser. No install, no sign-up.
- Add the PDF.
- Fill it in. Click a box and type, or on a flat form click the printed line where the answer goes: the text snaps onto the line, so it sits where a pen would.
- Add ticks, crosses and dates where they are needed.
- Make your signature: draw it with a mouse, trackpad or finger, type your name in one of the handwriting fonts, or import a photo of your signature (the white background is taken out). It's kept on this computer for next time, with your initials.
- Place the signature, then drag to move it or resize it. Use initial every page if the document asks for initials on each page.
- Save. Everything you added is flattened into the page, and the copy is saved as
name_signed.pdf.
Getting a signature that looks right
- Sign in black ink on plain white paper, photograph it flat in daylight, and crop close before importing.
- Drawing with a stylus or on a touch screen looks more natural than a mouse.
- Keep the signature roughly the size you'd write it - on an A4 page that's usually 40 to 60 mm wide.
- Stamps such as Received, Approved or Checked can carry your name, company and the date.
Is an electronic signature legal in the UK?
For most everyday documents, yes. Under UK law an electronic signature - a typed name, a drawn signature or an image of your signature - can be used to sign a contract, as long as you intend it as your signature. The Law Commission confirmed this in its 2019 report on electronic execution.
There are exceptions. Wills in England and Wales still need a handwritten signature with two witnesses present. Deeds need a witness who is physically there. Some lenders, courts and HM Land Registry have their own rules. If in doubt, ask whoever asked you to sign. This isn't legal advice.
A signature picture or a certificate signature?
| Drawn, typed or imported signature | Certificate (digital) signature | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A picture of your signature on the page | A cryptographic seal made with your certificate |
| Shows intent to sign | Yes | Yes |
| Proves the file hasn't changed since | No | Yes - viewers show a warning if it has |
| Where to get it | Free, browser and Windows app | Fill & Sign PDF Pro, Windows app, using a certificate in Windows or on a smart card |
Tenders and some public-sector forms ask specifically for a digital signature. That means the certificate kind.
Limits worth knowing
- Password-protected PDFs can't be filled yet. Ask the sender for an unlocked copy.
- Typed text covers English and Western European letters; other alphabets aren't supported yet.
- Once saved, your additions are part of the page. To change an answer, go back to the original file and fill it again.