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How to sign a document electronically.

A woman e-signs a document on a tablet.

Learn how to sign a document electronically and replace handwritten signatures for nearly every type of personal or business document.

“E-sign” is short for “electronic signature.” “E-signature” and “electronic signature” mean the same thing — you can use either form you like. (The term “e-sign” can also be used as a verb, meaning “to electronically sign” something.) However, if you’re talking about creating an electronic signature backed by a digital certificate — the highest level of identity assurance — you should use the term “digital signature” instead.

So, how do you e-sign a document? Let’s dive into the steps and benefits of signing electronically.

How to e-sign a document.

When you e-sign a document, you speed up your workflow. No more printing, signing, and then scanning the signed copy back into your electronic systems. Just use your electronic signature to keep work moving along. An online e-sign tool allows you to sign documents from anywhere on a mobile device, laptop, or desktop computer.

Follow these simple steps to add your electronic signature to digital documents that are designed with e-signing in mind:

  1. Click the link in the document that tells you where to sign.
  2. A pop-up window will open so you can create your electronic signature in the signature field.
  3. Type your name as an s signature, sign with the computer’s mouse, or upload an image of your signature. If you have a touchscreen device, you can use your finger or a stylus to sign.
  4. Click Apply to add your signature to the document.
  5. Select Click to Sign at the bottom to complete your e-signature.

Now that you know how to sign a document electronically, let’s explore the benefits of choosing to e-sign a document.

Why e-sign a document?

There are numerous benefits to e-signing a document.

The following are some reasons to e-sign your documents:

  • Save time. There’s no need to pick up more paper from the store or hunt people down for signatures. Simply email signees.
  • Sign on the go. Quickly send and receive important documents from anywhere on any device.
  • Keep records. Easily check signature progress on a document and reference back to documents without searching through file cabinets.

Is it secure to e-sign a document?

Document software often comes with security features that you can implement to protect your document from accidental edits. You can take advantage of authentication and password-protection options to add a layer of security to your document.

Can you create an electronic signature for any document?

We’ve explored how to sign documents electronically, but you may be wondering which types of files you can sign. With Adobe Acrobat, you can sign the following documents and more:

  • Microsoft Word document
  • XLS and XLSX
  • PPT and PPTX
  • BMP and GIF
  • JPG and JPEG
  • PNG

You can e-sign almost any type of document. It’s a faster and easier way of getting consent or approval on electronic documents or forms. (But consider using a digital signature when you need to validate a signature for a higher level of security.)

Discover other ways to create, edit, collaborate, sign, and share documents you've e-signed.

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