How to sign a Word document electronically

If only you need to sign

1. Open the document in Word and place the cursor where the signature goes.
2. Use the Draw tab to sign with a mouse, pen or finger, or insert a picture of your signature from a photo or scan.
3. Check the signature is placed on the line and sized properly.
4. Save the document, then export it as a PDF so the signature and layout cannot be changed by accident.

Why send a PDF, not Word

A Word file can be edited by anyone who has it, including the person who receives it. A PDF keeps the layout fixed, looks the same on every device, and is the format signing tools and courts are used to. Finalise the wording in Word first, then export a PDF to sign.

If other people need to sign

Do not pass a Word file around for each person to add a signature to. It is slow, easy to get wrong, and leaves no clear record. Export the final version as a PDF, upload it to a signing service, and add a signature field for each person. They each get a link and sign in order or at the same time.

See how to get a document signed by several people.

Keep the evidence

Whichever way you sign, keep the final signed PDF. A signing service adds an activity trail page that records when the document was sent, opened and signed, which makes the signature easier to prove later. The guide to proving an electronic signature explains why that matters.