Fill and Sign PDF Forms

Smallpdf was created with the dream of realizing a paperless office. Our tools strive to help you to get your work done without ever having to print a single file. Whether it’s annotating, editing, splitting, merging, or even signing PDFs, we’ve got the right tool for you. Even before the necessary move into the digital world in 2020, filling forms and signing them electronically was possible. But ever since then, the acceptance for electronic signatures has seen a massive growth all over the world.

This guide will demonstrate how to fill and sign PDF forms for free, within clicks. Whether you need to sign contracts or fill out application documents for graduate school—you've come to the right place!

How To Fill in PDF Forms

1. Go to the Smallpdf eSign tool.
2. Upload your PDF form.
3. Click on the “Text Field” section on the right.
4. Drag it to the required position and enter your data.
5. Change the font, size, or color as needed.
6. When you’re done, add your signature and hit “Finish & Sign.”

How To Sign PDF Forms and Request Signatures

1. Access the Smallpdf eSign tool and upload your document per drag & drop.
2. Click on “Your Signature” and draw or upload your signature.
3. If someone else needs to sign, too, enter their name and email under “Invite Signees.”
4. You can show them where to sign by dragging their signature box to the respective place.
5. Hit “Finish & Sign” and customize the email message or download your PDF.
6. If you’ve sent a signature request, we’ll notify you when they’ve signed, so you can download the document.

Electronic or Digital Signature?

You may have heard the terms “electronic signature” and “digital signature” being thrown about, which can get quite confusing. To keep things simple: Electronic signatures are equivalent to placing a photo of your signature under a document. They’re widely accepted for a lot of different types of contracts. However, sometimes, there may be heightened requirements. The more official a document is, the more likely you’ll need a digital signature. This kind of signature has an added layer of security: Upon signing, a timestamp and a digital seal are placed in the background of the document. The authenticity of the signature can be verified and any changes to the document after placing the signature renders it invalid. To learn more this, have a look at our article “The Difference Between Digital & Electronic Signatures.” In any case, be sure to check your local legislation regarding the legality of signatures—electronic or digital.

Benefits of Using Smallpdf

Our PDF Fill and Sign PDF Forms functions are free to use, for everybody. If you have lots of forms to fill in and sign every day, do check out our Pro subscriptions, which removes this usage limitation and enables digital signatures.

All file transfers use TLS connections to let you fill and sign PDF forms. Furthermore, with a Pro account, we ‘ll also save up to five of your electronic signatures. That way, you don’t have to re-draw your signatures every single time.

We believe that you don't truly know a product until you’ve tested it out yourself! So why not visit our eSign tool today, create your own electronic signature and start the PDF fill and sign process today!

If you want to know more about how you can modify documents and make the most of your PDFs, do check out our blog. It’s packed with useful tips & tricks for document management, explanations about our PDF tools, and other fantastic resources to help you transition to a 100% paperless office. If you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions, visit our support page or send us an email—we love hearing from you!