Someone emails you a contract. The old ritual: print it, sign it with a pen, scan it back, email it. If you don't own a printer — and most people don't anymore — that means a trip to a copy shop. Here's how to sign any PDF directly on your iPhone in under a minute.
Sign a PDF in Scanniq
- Open the PDF in Scanniq — from your library, or import it from Files, Mail, or Messages
- Tap Sign in the editor toolbar
- Draw your signature with your finger (a slow, larger-than-normal stroke comes out smoothest)
- Drag the signature onto the signature line, pinch to resize
- Tap Done and share the signed PDF straight back via Mail or Messages
Your signature is saved securely on-device, so the second document you ever sign takes about ten seconds: open, tap, place, send.
Signing a paper document instead?
If what needs signing arrived on paper, scan it first — Scanniq's camera turns any paper into a clean PDF with automatic edge detection — then sign the scan the same way. Paper in, signed PDF out, no printer involved at any point.
Tips for clean, professional signatures
- Sign large, place small. Draw your signature big on the canvas, then shrink it into place — it keeps the line smooth
- Multi-page contracts: place your saved signature on each signature page; initials work the same way
- Date fields: use the Annotate tool to type dates and check boxes next to your signature
- Sending several documents back? Merge them into one PDF first so the other side gets a single file
Is an on-screen signature legally valid?
In most everyday situations, yes. The U.S. ESIGN Act, EU eIDAS regulation, and similar laws in most countries recognize electronic signatures for the vast majority of agreements — leases, freelance contracts, permission slips, offer letters. Certain documents (wills, some property deeds) still require wet ink or notarization, so check the requirements for anything high-stakes.
Sign your next contract from your phone — free to try, no account needed.
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