Drawing a signature with a mouse can look shaky and unprofessional. Typing your name in a handwriting font often looks cleaner — and it's legally just as valid. Here's how to do it.
How typed signatures work
A typed signature is your name (or initials) rendered in a cursive or script font designed to look like handwriting. When placed on a PDF, it appears as a signature — not a printed name. Most signing tools support this approach.
How to add a typed signature to your PDF
- Go to quickpdfsign.com
- Upload your PDF
- In the signature panel, select the "Type" tab
- Type your name — it renders in a handwriting-style font as you type
- Click on the PDF page where your signature needs to go
- Resize or reposition as needed
- Download the signed PDF
Is a typed signature as legally valid as a drawn one?
Yes. The E-SIGN Act and eIDAS don't specify how a signature must look — only that it represents the signer's intent. A typed name in a script font carries the same legal weight as a freehand drawing or a photo of a wet ink signature.
Courts have repeatedly upheld typed electronic signatures in contract disputes. The surrounding context (email exchange, the document's content, the parties involved) establishes intent — not the visual form of the signature.
When you might prefer drawing instead
- When the recipient specifically requests a "handwritten" signature (though this is rare and the legal distinction is nil)
- When you want your signature to match your usual written signature exactly
- When signing on a touchscreen with a stylus, where drawing is natural and easy
When typing is better
- Signing on a laptop with a trackpad — drawn signatures often look shaky
- Signing multiple pages where consistency matters — typed signatures look identical every time
- When you want a clean, professional-looking result quickly