How to make electronic signatures and digital signature certificates
Electronic signatures or e-signatures, have the same level of convenience as digital signatures but require less authentication. You can sign a PDF or other document quickly and securely with an e-signature. Learn how to sign with either an electronic signature or a digital signature.
How to make electronic signatures and digital signature certificates
Electronic signatures or e-signatures, have the same level of convenience as digital signatures but require less authentication. You can sign a PDF or other document quickly and securely with an e-signature. Learn how to sign with either an electronic signature or a digital signature.
How to create an electronic signature.
Say goodbye to paper documents. Creating an electronic signature in a PDF file is easy with Acrobat Sign. Start signing documents faster and more efficiently — right from your mobile device.
How to sign documents with an electronic signature.
Click review and sign link in email.
1. Click review and sign link in email.
In the email you received from the sender of the document to sign, click the link labeled “Click here to review and sign...”
Click prompt in document.
2. Click prompt in document.
Click on the “Click here to sign” field in the document to sign.
Create electronic signature.
3. Create electronic signature.
A pop-up window will open to let you create your electronic signature in the signature field.
Select signature option.
4. Select signature option.
Choose from four easy options: type your name, draw with a mouse, upload an image of your signature, or sign with your finger or stylus on a touch screen.
Sign document.
5. Sign document.
Select Apply to add your signature to the signature line and preview the signed document before you approve it.
Finalize signature.
6. Finalize signature.
Select “Click to Sign” at the bottom to finalize your electronic signature.
Send.
7. Send.
Acrobat Sign automatically sends you and the sender the final signed document.
- Click review and sign link in email.
- Click prompt in document.
- Create electronic signature.
- Select signature option.
- Sign document.
- Finalize signature.
- Send.
What are electronic signatures?
An electronic signature or e-signature, is a legal way to get consent or approval on electronic documents or forms. This includes digital signatures that require strict authentication. Electronic signatures can be used to replace handwritten signatures in virtually every personal or business process.
Trusted and legal.
With Acrobat Sign, your electronic signatures are legally valid and enforceable. They meet the most demanding requirements and comply with electronic signature laws around the world.
Reliable and secure.
Get uptime you can count on, while ensuring security and privacy. Acrobat Sign delivers high performance around the world and complies with the most stringent security standards.
Track and manage progress.
You can know the status of every signature, get notifications and send reminders, modify and cancel requests and view a detailed audit trail for any transaction.
Trusted and legal.
With Acrobat Sign, your digital signatures are legally valid and enforceable. They meet the most demanding requirements and comply with electronic signature laws laws around the world.
Reliable and secure.
Get uptime you can count on, while ensuring security and privacy. Acrobat Sign delivers high performance around the world and complies with the most stringent security standards.
Track and manage progress.
You can know the status of every signature, get notifications and send reminders, modify and cancel requests and view a detailed audit trail for any transaction.
How to sign with a digital signature
Creating a digital signature in a PDF file is easy with Acrobat Sign.
How to sign documents with a digital signature.
Click review link and opt to digitally sign.
1. Click review link and opt to digitally sign.
Click review link and opt to sign PDFs digitally. Click the “click here to review and sign … “ dialog box in the email you received from the sender of the document. Click on the “Click to digitally sign” button in the document to sign.
Select signature source and select name.
2. Select signature source and select name.
Choose to sign with a cloud signature and select the name of your digital ID certificate provider. If you do not have a digital ID certificate, visit the link above to sign up with a digital ID provider.
Sign in and apply digital signature.
3. Sign in and apply digital signature.
Sign in to your digital ID provider and select your digital ID. Then select ‘‘Next’’ to apply the digital signature to the document’s signature field.
Preview signature.
4. Preview signature.
A preview of the signature is presented. Click ‘‘Edit Signature’’ to manually sign via mouse or touch screen, or upload an image of your signature then select ‘‘OK.’’
Authenticate the signature.
5. Authenticate the signature.
Finally, select “Click to Sign,” and you will be required to enter your digital ID provider’s PIN and one-time-passcode to authenticate your digital signature.
Your Signed document is sent.
6. Your Signed document is sent.
When the authentication is complete, your document is digitally signed, and Acrobat Sign will automatically send you and the sender the final signed document.
- Click review link and opt to digitally sign.
- Select signature source and select name.
- Sign in and apply digital signature.
- Preview signature.
- Authenticate the signature.
- Your Signed document is sent.
What are digital signatures?
When signing documents online, no method is more advance or secure as using a digital signature. You can use a digital signature to comply with the most demanding legal and regulatory requirements because it provides the highest level of assurance about each signer’s identity and the authenticity of the documents they sign.
Your digital ID is trusted.
Compliant, certificate-based digital IDs come from accredited providers. You need to prove your identity before you can get one.
It all gets encrypted.
Your own digital signature and the PDF document you sign are encrypted together and bound with a tamper-evident seal.
It’s unique to you.
Every time you sign a document, you use your own unique digital certificate and PIN to validate your credentials and prove you’re who you say you are.
It’s easy to validate.
Both the signed document and your digital signature can be revalidated by a Certificate Authority CA) or TSP for up to 10 years after the signing event.
Related Topics
Get more in-depth insight with these additional topics or browse more e-signature resources.
E-Signatures
E-Signatures
Acrobat Sign Electronic Signature FAQs
Acrobat Sign is a Document Cloud solution that lets you send, sign, manage and archive documents and forms with legal electronic signatures. Use Acrobat web and mobile applications or work inside your favourite applications to sign documents, request signatures from others and track the process.
There are four ways to create an electronic signature using Acrobat Sign. You can type your name, upload an image file of your handwritten signature, draw your signature with a cursor or sign with your finger or stylus on a touch screen device.
Yes. Electronic signatures are legally valid and enforceable in nearly every industrialised country around the world and even less-developed countries are beginning to enact e-signature laws. In 2000, the United States passed the ESIGN Act, making e-signatures legal for virtually all uses. In the European Union the Electronic Identification and Trust Services Regulation (eIDAS) took effect in July 2016. Other countries have enacted similar laws as well. To learn more, visit our Electronic Signatures are Legal page.
Acrobat Sign supports document signing on practically any modern device, including smartphones, tablets and desktop computers such as Macs and PCs.