How to Sign a PDF on iPhone (Free, No Printing)

You do not need a printer, a scanner or a paid app to sign a PDF on an iPhone. iOS has a free signing tool called Markup built into the Files, Mail and Photos apps. This guide shows the built-in method step by step, how to sign a document someone emailed you, and when a dedicated signing app saves time.

Sign a PDF with Markup in the Files app

This works on any iPhone or iPad running a recent version of iOS.

1. Get the PDF into Files. If the PDF arrived in Mail, Messages, Safari or WhatsApp, open it, tap the Share button and choose Save to Files.
2. Open it in the Files app.
3. Tap the Markup button. It looks like the tip of a pen, in the toolbar at the top or bottom of the screen.
4. Tap + (the plus button in the Markup toolbar) and choose Add Signature.
5. Sign with your finger (or Apple Pencil on iPad) and tap Done. iOS remembers this signature, so next time it appears in the list straight away.
6. Drag the signature onto the signature line. Use the blue corner handles to resize it.
7. Tap Done to save. The signed file replaces the original in Files.

To send it on, open the PDF again, tap Share and choose Mail, Messages or AirDrop.

Tip: turn your iPhone sideways before you sign. The signing area becomes much wider, and your signature will look far more natural.

Sign a PDF attached to an email

You can sign straight from the Mail app without saving the file first.

1. Open the email and tap the PDF attachment to preview it.
2. Tap the Markup button.
3. Tap + → Add Signature, pick your saved signature (or create one) and place it.
4. Tap Done. Mail offers to Reply All or create a New Message with the signed PDF attached.

This is the quickest way to return a signed form to whoever sent it.

What if there is no Markup button?

Markup only appears for PDFs and images. If someone sent a Word document (.docx) or Pages file, turn it into a PDF first:

1. Open the document and tap Share → Print.
2. In the print preview, tap Share again (top of the screen) and choose Save to Files. iOS saves the document as a PDF.
3. Open that PDF in Files and sign it with Markup as above.

If the file opens in a third-party app (Google Drive, Dropbox, Outlook), use that app’s Open in or Share option to send it to Files first.

How to delete or change your saved iPhone signature

In Markup, tap + → Add Signature. Above your saved signatures you will see Add or Remove Signature. Tap it, then tap the minus button next to the signature you want to delete, or + to draw a new one.

The faster way: a signing app

Markup is fine for an occasional form. It gets tedious if you sign several documents a week, and it has limits: you can only draw your signature with a finger, and placing it precisely on a small iPhone screen takes a few tries.

Signature Maker is built only for signing:

• Three ways to create a signature: draw it, type it in a handwriting font, or scan the signature you already use from paper with the camera.
• Several saved signatures, each with a name, such as a full signature and your initials.
• PDFs and images: sign a multi-page PDF, or a photo of a paper form or a screenshot.
• Drag and resize the signature on any page, then Save Document and share it.

The steps are short: create your signature once, tap + under Documents, pick the PDF, tap Add Signature, place it and tap Save Document.

Is a signature added on iPhone legally valid?

For most everyday paperwork, yes. In the US, the ESIGN Act and UETA give electronic signatures the same legal effect as handwritten ones, and the EU’s eIDAS Regulation recognises them too. A signature drawn in Markup or placed with an app is a simple electronic signature: it works for leases, permission slips, HR forms, invoices and most contracts.

It is not enough where the law requires a wet-ink signature, a notary or a certificate-based qualified signature, for example wills and some court or real-estate filings. Read electronic vs. digital signatures for the difference.

Frequently asked questions

Can I sign a PDF on iPhone for free?

Yes. Markup is built into iOS and free. Open the PDF in Files or Mail, tap the Markup button, tap + and choose Add Signature.

How do I sign a document on my iPhone that was emailed to me?

Tap the attachment in the Mail app, tap Markup, tap + → Add Signature, place your signature and tap Done. Mail then lets you reply with the signed copy attached.

Why does my signature look messy on iPhone?

The signing area is small in portrait mode. Rotate the phone to landscape before you sign, sign slowly, or use a stylus. You can also scan your real signature from paper with an app like Signature Maker.

Can I type my signature instead of drawing it on iPhone?

Markup only lets you draw. To type your name in a signature font, use a signature app, or make a typed signature with the free online signature generator and save the PNG to your photos.

Does signing a PDF on iPhone change the original file?

Yes. When you tap Done in Files, the signed version replaces the original. Duplicate the file first (long-press → Duplicate) if you need an unsigned copy.