To insert a signature in Word, Google Docs or a PDF, first make an image of your signature with a transparent background, then insert it as a picture and move it onto the signature line. The quickest free way to make the image is our signature maker: draw with your finger or mouse, or type your name in a handwriting font, and download a cropped, high-resolution PNG. It is made in your browser, so your signature is never uploaded. The steps for each app are below.
Step 1: Make a clean signature image
You have two options:
- Draw or type it online. Open the signature maker, choose Draw and sign in the box, or choose Type and pick a handwriting style. Choose black or blue ink and press Download PNG. The file is cropped tight to the signature and has a transparent background, so it sits on the line without a white box around it.
- Scan or photograph your real signature. Sign in black ink on plain white paper and photograph it in even light. Then make the paper transparent with our background remover, so you get the same clean PNG.
If a form or portal rejects transparent images, tick White background in the signature maker before you download.
Step 2: Insert the signature in Word
- Click where the signature should go, then choose Insert › Pictures and pick your PNG.
- Select the picture, then on the Picture Format tab choose Wrap Text › In Front of Text. Now you can drag it anywhere, including on top of a signature line, without pushing the text around.
- Drag a corner handle (not a side handle) to resize it so the proportions stay right. A signature usually looks natural at about 4–5 cm wide.
Reuse it every time: type your name and title under the picture, select both, then choose Insert › Quick Parts › Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery, set the gallery to AutoText and give it a name. Next time, use Insert › Quick Parts › AutoText to drop the whole block in. These steps come from Microsoft’s own guide.
Step 3: Insert the signature in Google Docs
- Choose Insert › Image › Upload from computer and pick your PNG.
- Click the image. In the small toolbar under it, choose In front of text, then drag it onto the line and resize it from a corner.
Those layout options don’t appear in a pageless document. If you don’t see them, switch the document to pages first under File › Page setup, as Google’s help page explains.
Step 4: Add the signature to a PDF
With the free Adobe Acrobat Reader on a computer:
- Open the PDF and choose Fill & Sign (the pen icon in the toolbar, or under Tools).
- Click Sign, then Add signature.
- Choose Image, browse to your PNG and click Apply.
- Click on the page where the signature goes, resize it with the handles, then save the PDF.
Acrobat accepts JPG, PNG, GIF, TIFF and BMP signature images, according to Adobe’s instructions. Reader remembers the signature, so next time it is one click.
No Acrobat? Another route is to put the signature in a Word or Google document and save it as a PDF, or, for a scanned form, open it in Word, place the signature, and export as PDF. When you are done, flatten the PDF so the signature and any typed answers can’t be moved or edited, and compress it if the email or portal has a size limit.
Which method for which document
| You have | Easiest way |
|---|---|
| A letter or form in Word | Insert › Pictures, then In Front of Text |
| A Google Doc | Insert › Image › Upload from computer, then In front of text |
| A PDF someone sent you | Acrobat Reader › Fill & Sign › Image |
| An email | Put it in your email signature instead |
| A contract that needs proof of who signed | A proper e-signature service, not a pasted image |
Is a pasted signature image legally valid?
It depends on your country and the document. Many everyday documents, such as internal forms, letters, permission slips and simple agreements, are commonly accepted with a pasted signature image. Contracts, bank, property and government documents often need a handwritten signature or a certified digital signature that proves who signed and when. If you’re unsure, ask the organisation that asked for your signature what they accept. Keep your signature file private, and don’t send it around more than you have to.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make my signature transparent?
Draw or type it in our signature maker and download the PNG: the background is already transparent. For a signature on paper, photograph it on white paper and remove the background with our background remover, which also gives a transparent PNG.
Why is there a white box around my signature in Word?
The image was saved as a JPG or with a white background. Make a transparent PNG instead and insert that. Also set Wrap Text to In Front of Text so it can sit over the signature line.
Can I sign a PDF on my phone?
Yes. The Acrobat Reader app for Android and iPhone has a Fill & Sign tool, and on iPhone you can also open the PDF in the Files app and use Markup to add a signature. If the app asks you to draw, our signature maker is handy for practising a neat version first, or for documents in Word and Google Docs on your phone.