There are several situations when you need to sign a document digitally on your phone. While this is simpler for users with devices that support a stylus, that is not the case with the majority of users. Fortunately, it is still possible to sign a document on your phone, and you can do so on both Android and iOS devices. The process can vary depending on which device you use, and this guide will let you know all about it.

Using Google Drive

The easiest way to sign a document using your Android is through Google Drive, which comes with built-in tools that let you add a signature directly to documents without requiring any third-party applications. Most devices come with Google Drive installed, but even if you do not have it, you can download it from the Play Store.

  1. Documents you've stored in your Google Drive will automatically appear in the app once you open it after installing it. Navigate to the PDF document you want to sign and tap on it to open it.
  2. Once the document opens, you should see a pencil icon for the 'Edit' option or a pen icon with squiggly lines for the 'Annotate' option. If you have the Edit option, tap on it and then on 'Form Select'. On the other hand, if you have the Annotate option, tap on it to access the pen tool.
Note: You can also use Google Drive to sign documents on your iPhone, in which case the form-filling option will appear below the documents for which it is available. However, the app does not offer the annotate option on iOS, which means for documents where the option is unavailable, you will need to rely on Apple's built-in tool for signing the document.
  1. When you enable the annotate option, the pen tool will become active. You can use it to create a signature manually on the document. Then tap on the 'Save' button at the top to save the document.
  2. On the other hand, if you want to save an edited copy of the document while retaining the original one, tap on the three dots on the top right and then on the 'Save copy' option.
Note: Google Drive does not always detect which PDF documents require the Form Filling option. That means that if you require a signature in plain text, you may need to look for alternative third-party solutions.

Using Apple's Markup tool

On iPhone, you can use Apple's Markup tool to annotate documents with signatures, emojis, images, text, etc. The tool is accessible both from the Share menu as well as within PDF documents.

  1. Open the PDF document you want to sign. It does not matter whether you've downloaded the document from a website or it is an email attachment.
  2. Depending on which app you use to view the document, the Markup tool may appear on your screen in the bottom-right corner. It will appear as a pen tip inside a circle.
  3. If you cannot see the tool, tap on the 'Share' icon which appears as a square with an upward-facing arrow. A pop-up will appear with the 'Markup' option.
  4. When you turn on Markup, you will be able to scribble on the PDF using different types of pen tools. You will also see a 'Signature' icon, appearing as a pencil within a rectangle which you need to tap.
  5. You will then see a '+' icon at the bottom right.
  1. Tap on it and you will get the option to 'Add Text Form Box' or 'Add Signature'. The text box option lets you add printed text, while the signature option allows adding handwritten signatures.
  2. If you add the text box, you can move and resize it by dragging it as required. Then tap inside the box to bring up the keyboard and type in your signature before tapping on the 'Done' button in the top-right.
  1. When using the 'Add Signature' option, you'll be able to add any existing signature or create one if you don't have it. You can then save that signature to use it again as and when needed. Once finished, tap on 'Done' and you can move and resize the signature and drag it to the required position.
  2. Both the text box and signature options allow further customizations, such as Duplicate, Copy, Cut, and Delete, which you can use by tapping on the three dots next to the option.
  1. After making the changes to your signature, you can tap on 'Done' to save all changes or use the Share option to send the signature to other apps or documents.

Things to know

  • While iOS lets you sign documents more easily and in a much better way than Android, there are third-party apps like Adobe Acrobat Sign and DocuSign on the Play Store that offer a lot of features and enhance the experience on Google's OS as well.
  • As with the Markup tool on iOS, third-party apps on the App Store and Play Store let you create and save signatures so they can be used anywhere you want. Their premium versions offer even more features, which can be handy if you frequently need to sign documents on your phone.
  • While the Markup tool lets you sign documents on your iPhone, you can also use it on iPads and it works well with the Apple Pencil too, making it easier to create good-looking signatures digitally.
  • The Edit and Annotate options in Google Drive appear for PDF documents on Android, but the Markup tool in iOS can be used on almost any type of document, not just PDFs.