Did you know that over 294 billion emails get sent each day? Unfortunately, many go unnoticed.

If you want your email to contain an important document, your signature remains an important way of proving your identity. Not sure how to digitally sign them?

Don’t fret, we’ve got your back.

With this guide, you’ll learn how to digitally sign a document. It matters not what format it is, but we’ll focus more on Word and PDF format documents. Read on and find out more:

How to Make your Digital Signature

Before you can digitally sign Word or PDF documents, your first step is to get an image of your signature. This will go in your document instead of your actual signature. You have lots of options for this, but some include:

1. Scan or Photograph

This is the easiest way of making a digital signature. Use black ink and write your signature on a blank piece of white paper. After that, photograph or scan it.

Scanning gives you the best image quality. But if that isn’t available, use your phone camera and take a photo in a well-lit area. This ensures your signature won’t have unwanted shadows falling over it.

Also, check out this guide on how to scan documents before you can sign them digitally.

2. Digital Drawing

Use either your mouse or trackpad to draw your signature using paint programs like MS Paint or Paintbrush. Take note, you might take a few tries before you get it to look right. Use a stylus if you’re working with a trackpad.

3. Smartphone or Tablet

There are millions of apps available for both iPhone and Android users. his means you’re likely to have an app that can capture your signature. Some of them have paid versions, but investing in these enables you to save your signature using transparent backgrounds.

This makes it easier for you to add your signature to any document. To ensure that your signature looks its best, use a stylus. It’s much easier to do than using your fingertips to draw.

Regardless of your method, download the graphics file using the PNG format. This allows you to save your signature with a transparent background. This ensures it won’t cover the documents’ elements like signature lines and other information.

Digitally Sign Word Document

With so many documents using the Microsoft Word format, this is a great starting point. It’s because Word will support both digital and electronic signatures. This means you can use whichever is best for your purposes, but it’s an expensive method of signing documents digitally.

If you use a document with a special signature line, signing it is a straightforward process. Double-click the signature line since a dialog box to Sign will appear. Here, you can add your signature by inserting an image.

To do this, click “Select Image” and find your signature file on the ensuing dialog box. When you find it, click “Select” to finish adding it.

In Word, adding digital signatures are more complex because you must get a third-party digital certificate. This helps prove that the document came from you. It can become expensive since it might cost you several hundred dollars annually, especially when you sign lots of digital documents.

You can make your digital signature, but its authenticity is only verifiable from your computer. This makes it a less ideal option for sending documents to other people. Regardless, it’s a viable option if you aren’t constantly signing documents.

How to Sign an Unprepared Document

If your document lacks Word’s signature system, don’t lose hope since you can still insert your signature. Place your cursor on your desired area and choose “Insert” and select “Picture.” Pick your signature file for it to appear in the document.

It will likely look messed up, but you can click on the signature to resize it until it looks satisfactory. After that, go to “Page Layout” and select “Wrap Text.” After that, pick “Behind Text” to ensure that it won’t cover any important document element. Mind mapping tool help to learn a new concept.

Digitally Sign a PDF File

The good news is that PDF files are easier to sign than Word documents. If you use Adobe’s Acrobat Reader DC to read PDF documents, you’re in luck. It’s because this app offers an easier means of signing documents, regardless of their configurations.

All you must do is to open your document in Acrobat Reader. Click on the “Tools” menu and click the “Fill & Sign” option. Click the “Sign” button in the toolbar and use the abovementioned methods to sign your document.

After you finish, click “Apply” and drag your signature to your desired area. If necessary, you can use the options found in the field toolbar to resize it. The best part is that the application will save your signature, making it easier for you to sign documents in the future.

If you’re using a Mac, you have another way with the default Preview PDF viewer. This application allows you to put signatures into your documents. Open your desired document and click the toolbox icon located in the menu bar.

Once there, click on the signature icon. Use your trackpad or sign your name on paper and use your Mac’s camera to capture your signature. This will enable you to drag it to your desired space and resize it as you see fit.

Digitally Sign Using an iPhone

The easiest way to sign PDF documents using an iPhone is through the Mail app’s built-in tools. After receiving an attachment, download and open it. Tap the marker icon and pick the + option to bring the signature options.

Get a Digitally Signed Document Today!

These are some methods to digitally sign a document. Use these to your advantage and ensure that your documents are authentic when sent to other people.

Did you find this guide informative? If so, please consider reading our other articles and get more valuable tips and tricks.