Quick PDF Sign enables you to create your self-signed (ink) signatures and add them directly to the page. You don’t need to create different signatures for different roles.

To create your own handwritten signature and sign a PDF, follow these steps.

1. Choose Home/Protect > Fill & Sign. And the Fill & Sign context tab appears on the ribbon. 
2. (Optional) Use the tools in the Fill & Sign context tab to add text or symbols to fill your PDF as needed.
3. Click + in the signature palette on the ribbon or click the drop-down on the lower right corner of the signature palette and choose Create Signature from the drop-down menu. Or you can click Manage Signatures in the Fill & Sign context tab and click Add in the pop-up Manage Signatures dialog box to create signatures.
4. In the Create Signature dialog box, you can draw a signature, import a file, copy from the clipboard, or type text content to create a signature. Or click Online to choose a signature from the signatures you saved earlier. When you create a signature by typing text or drawing, you can change the text style or color of your signature through the <Font Style> drop-down list or Switch color palette.
   • TIP: You can sign your signature on a clean white sheet of paper with a black pen, then scan it into an image file. To create the best signature, it is suggested to scan your signature in monochrome at 600 DPI.
5. Click Options to specify how to create and use the signature. 
   • Convert signature to black & white: the signature will be rendered in black and white even if the original image is in color. 
   • Keep original size: select this option, and the signature will be created at the original size. If the signature width or height exceeds the page size, Foxit PDF Editor will zoom the signature to 100 pixels wide while maintaining the original proportions. The option is only available when the signature is from an imported file or the Clipboard. With the option unselected, the signature will be resized to a width of 100 pixels while maintaining the original proportions by default. 
   • Discard the signature when the program closes: select this option, and the signature will be discarded the next time you launch Foxit PDF Editor.
   • Require password to use this signature: Specify a password that users must enter when signing the document with this signature. Enter the password again to confirm it.
6. Click OK.
7. Select your created signature on the signature palette, and then the cursor will be changed into a shape with the appearance preview of the signature.
8. (Optional) Select (or enable) Keep Tool Selected on the ribbon so that you can add the same signature continuously without reselecting the same signature.
9. Place the cursor at the position you want to sign and click. Or drag a rectangle to define the size and placement. The signature stays selected until you choose another tool. You can place multiple signatures on pages continuously without the need to reselect the same signature.
10. Click the signature with the Hand command, and it will be highlighted with a red rectangle. After adding the signature, do any of the following, if necessary.
    • To resize the signature, drag the small blue square in the lower-right corner of the rectangle. After resizing the signature, you can right-click it and choose Set Current Size as Default to set the size as the default, so that Foxit PDF Editor will remember and apply the same size when you add the same signature in the future.
    • To move the signature, drag the rectangle directly to the desired place. 
    • Before applying the signature, you can right-click the signature and choose relevant options from the context menu to copy, cut, paste, or delete the signature. 
11. Right-click the signature you added, and select Place on Multiple Pages from the context menu to place the signature on multiple pages.
12. You can do one of the following to apply signatures to the document as required:
    1. To apply the current signature to the document, right-click the signature and select Apply Signature from the context menu. 
    2. To apply all signatures in the document, click Apply All Signatures on the ribbon.
    3. If you want to flatten the document while applying the signatures, select the Flatten the document when applying all signatures option first in File > Preferences > PDF Sign (or click the drop-down on the lower right corner of the signature palette and choose Preferences from the drop-down menu to select the option). For details on flattening, please refer to "Flatten Pages".
13. Upon completion, click Close to close the Fill & Sign context tab.
    1. Note: Once applied, the signature can no longer be edited or deleted.

To manage the created signatures, do the following:

1. Click Manage Signatures in the Fill & Sign context tab.
2. In the Manage Signatures dialog box, do any of the following: 
   • Click Add to create signatures.
   • Click the Edit or Delete icon to edit or delete existing signatures.
   • Select a signature and click Move up or Move down to adjust its display order in the signature palette under the Fill & Sign context tab. 
   • Select a signature, then click Save online to save it to the Foxit Web Service. The signatures saved in Foxit Web Service can be downloaded to sign PDF files from within Foxit PDF Reader or Foxit PDF Editor in Windows and Mac. 
3. Upon completion, click Close to close the Fill & Sign context tab. 

Before you sign a document, you need to draw a signature field where the signature is placed, get a digital ID, and create the signature.

1. Choose Protect > Sign & Certify > Place Signature.
2. Press and hold the mouse button, then drag to draw a signature field.
3. In the Sign Document dialog box, choose a digital ID from the drop-down menu. If you can’t find the specified digital ID, you will need to get a certificate from the third-party provider or create a self-signed digital ID.
4. (Optional)To create a self-designed digital ID, choose New ID from the drop-down menu. In the Add Digital ID dialog box, select a location to store the digital ID. Click Next to type your identity information, such as name, organization unit, e-mail address, etc., to be used when generating the self-signed certificate. In Use Digital ID for, choose one option as needed. Click Next to enter a file name, storage location, and password for your new digital ID file. Confirm your password and click Finish. The New ID option will not be available if the IT manager has configured and restricted digital IDs to sign PDF files across the company. 
5. For Appearance Type, choose a style from the drop-down list, or click the Create button to create a new style for your signature appearance. The created styles will be added to the Appearance Type drop-down list. Please refer to Creating signature appearance. You can preview your signature in the Signature Preview box.
6. Under Text For Signing, input text in the field and select an option from the drop-down list to specify your location and reason to sign the document. Please note that the Location and Reason fields are available only when the signature is defined to include the corresponding option in its appearance type. For the Reason field, Foxit PDF Editor will save your custom reasons so you can easily choose from the drop-down list in future use.
7. Specify the page range to place the signature. The signature will be placed at the same location on the specified pages. 
8. If you want to lock the document to prevent further editing, check the Lock Document After Signing option.
9. Do any of the following to sign PDF files:

• To sign the currently open PDF file, click Sign, then specify the location and file name for the signed document. 
• To sign multiple PDF files, click Apply to Multiple Files. In the pop-up Sign Multiple Documents dialog box, do the following: 
  • Click Add files, and choose Add Files, Add Folder, or Add Open Files to add files, folders, or opened files that you want to sign with the same digital signature. 
  • By default, the document will be signed in sequence as they are ordered in the Sign Multiple Documents dialog box. You can adjust the order of files by their name, modified time, or size by clicking the corresponding column name. Alternatively, drag and drop the file in the list to adjust its order. Select a file and click the Remove button to delete it, if necessary. 
  • Click Output Options to specify the output folder and file name for the signed PDF document. 
  • Click Sign Immediately. And then Foxit PDF Editor will sign your PDF documents with the same digital signature at the same location as your current document, and save the signed documents in the folder you specified. 

Note: By default, the document is signed after you place the signature, and then you will not be able to move or resize it. To change the setting, please uncheck the Sign the document immediately after the signature is placed option in File > Preferences > Signature. 

How to Sign a PDF: 3 Secure Ways to Add Signatures in Foxit PDF Editor+

Note: The Foxit eSign and AI-Assisted Signature features are not currently available at Illinois State University.

Video Timestamps

00:00 — Introduction: 3 Ways to Sign a PDF in Foxit PDF Editor

00:18 — Quick PDF Sign: Add an ink or typed signature for fast internal approvals like PTO requests or expense forms.

00:41 — Add a Signature with Fill & Sign: Use Foxit's Fill & Sign tools to place and apply your signature across document fields.

01:25 — Use AI Smart Commands to Speed Up Signing: Leverage Foxit AI Assistant to automate and accelerate the signing process.

01:46 — Create a Digital Signature with a Certificate: Set up a certificate-based digital signature to protect authenticated, tamper-evident documents.

02:24 — Apply a Digital ID and Sign the PDF: Create and apply a Digital ID to finalize your certificate-based signature on the document.

02:33 — Sign Securely with Foxit eSign: Use Foxit eSign — included with PDF Editor+ — for secure self-signing and signature management within a streamlined electronic workflow.

03:26 — What Happens After You Digitally Sign: Understand how document integrity is protected and why editing tools are disabled after a digital signature is applied.

03:35 — Choosing the Right Signing Method: Compare all three methods and identify the best option for your specific document workflow and compliance needs.