Local processing · no upload
Sign a PDF in the Browser Without Uploading It
You can add a visible signature on your device: draw with a mouse, pen or finger, or type your name. PDF North places that mark on one page and downloads a new copy. The PDF and the signature never leave this browser tab. This is an electronic signature, not a certificate-backed digital signature.
How to do this in PDF North
- Finish merges, page numbers and watermarks before you sign, so the signed copy is the final one.
- Choose the PDF, set the page to sign, then draw your signature or switch to Type your name.
- Set the position and width, add a date only if you want that text on the page, then sign and open the download to check the mark.
Electronic versus digital signatures
An electronic signature is a visible name or handwritten mark on the page. A digital signature uses a certificate so software can test whether the signed bytes changed and who held the certificate. PDF North does not issue certificates, verify identity, record an audit trail or lock later edits. For everyday forms, consent slips, delivery notes and internal approvals, a visible mark is often what is asked for. When a recipient requires an audit trail, a qualified certificate or their own signing platform, use theirs. Requirements depend on the document and the jurisdiction, and this page is not legal advice.
Draw or type
Draw signature is the default. Use a mouse, trackpad, stylus or finger in the signature box, and press Clear drawing to start again. The drawing is placed on the page as an image at the width you choose. Type your name is the keyboard-accessible option: enter your full name and it is set in an italic serif font, sized to the width you chose. If you try to sign without drawing anything, the tool asks you to draw first or switch to the typed method, rather than placing an empty mark. On a phone, turn the device sideways for a wider drawing area.
Place the mark carefully
After the file loads, the page box starts on the last page, which is where many signature lines sit, and a preview of that page appears. Change the number to sign a different page. Nine positions combine left, centre or right with top, middle or bottom, each kept 32 points inside the page edge. Bottom-right suits many approval blocks. Signature width runs from 80 to 280 PDF points and starts at 170, roughly six centimetres. If the mark would not fit on a small page, the tool says so instead of cropping it. The optional date is picked from a calendar and printed in small text under the mark as year-month-day. It is the value you chose, not a trusted timestamp.
More than one page or more than one signer
Each run signs one page. To initial several pages, sign the first page, then load the downloaded copy and sign the next page, and repeat. The download is named after your file with -signed on the end, so later runs add another -signed. Rename the final copy before you send it. For a second signer, send them the signed copy so they can add their own mark the same way. If several separate documents need one signature at the end, join them first with Merge PDF and sign the combined file. Number the pages with Add PDF Page Numbers before you sign, not after.
Private by design, and how to check
The PDF and the signature strokes stay in local browser memory, and the download uses a temporary browser link. You can confirm that in the browser’s Network tab while you sign: the PDF is not sent as an upload. The page may still load its own scripts from this site, and those requests do not contain your document. Existing certificate signatures on the source can be invalidated by any save, so do not add a mark to a file whose current digital signature must stay valid. If the signed copy will leave your organisation, Remove PDF Metadata can clear document properties afterwards. Each file can be up to 60 MB and 250 pages, and password-protected PDFs are not supported.
Frequently asked questions
Is a drawn signature legally valid?
Requirements depend on the document and jurisdiction. PDF North adds a visible electronic mark and does not provide legal advice, an identity check or an audit trail.
Can I type my name instead of drawing?
Yes. Switch the method to Type your name. Your name is set in an embedded italic font at the width you choose, and no stylus or touchscreen is needed.
Can I sign more than one page?
Each run places one mark on one page. Sign the first page, load the downloaded copy, and sign the next. Repeat for initials on several pages.
Does the date prove when I signed?
No. The optional date is printed text from the calendar field, shown as year-month-day under the mark. It is not a trusted timestamp.
Will signing break an existing digital signature?
It can. Any saved change to a PDF can invalidate a certificate-backed signature already in the file. Keep that original and ask the sender how they want the document returned.
Does signing upload the PDF?
No. The file and strokes remain in this tab, and the download uses a temporary browser link. The Network tab will not show the PDF being sent.
Related PDF tools
Start with Sign PDF. Also see Add PDF Page Numbers, Merge PDF, Remove PDF Metadata. Browse all PDF guides.